Demons within
by damn.it.to.hell
Summary: Haunted by her own demons, Astrid Blake a famous English ghost hunter travels the world searching for spirits to put to rest. When she finds herself in Japan, she is asked to exorcise an old school house where she meets more ghost hunters also on the case. Hiding her identity from unwanted attention, Astrid names herself Minami Kotomi and works alongside this team of ghost hunters.
1. Chapter 1

AN: This is a new story that I was dying to write. I hope you enjoy it and thanks to anyone that reads, reviews, follows or favorites. The cases will not be word for word with the manga and anime so I might have missed out a few bits or added some in that wasn't there before. Or I might have some in the wrong order, if you wish to correct me, feel free to do so but I won't change the chapter. Masako will fall from the old school house before Ayako does her Shinto exorcism. by the way... So please bare with me.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ghost Hunt whatsoever, just my OC.

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**Chapter one**

My name, is Astrid Blake. I hail from Scotland in the United kingdom, UK for short. I'm seventeen years old and I don't remember much from my past. The first seven years of my life are missing and there is no way to recover them. The rest, is a boatload of misery. Ten years later and I am still haunted by my past. The past I so wish to erase.

I moved away from Scotland when I was fifteen, unable to cope with all of the attention that was forced upon me. I lived a quiet life after that, traveling an awful lot trying to avoid anyone who knew my identity. And then I found myself in Japan, earlier this year in January was when I had arrived. It's May now.

Japan is a place I feel I could live forever, but on occasion I do dearly miss my home. I live alone in Japan, Tokyo to be exact. In the busy city that is a magnet to the supernatural. Where ghosts reside and the paranormal remains. I've spent my life chasing ghosts and running away from them. Don't get me wrong, the supernatural side of life, is all I can really think about. I have never had a family, friends, or even a boyfriend. I just don't have time for that stuff and some times I prefer it that way. Emotional attachment will just hold me back.

That's what I have always thought. But sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a friend. If I wanted, there are always ghosts to befriend. Although it is not the same. It's not like we could spend the day shopping or go the cinema. I am not into that stuff anyway. It bores me and I think it's a waste of time.

I'd rather spend my time helping the dead go into the light. That's what I do. I help them cross over. It's my passion, my hobby, my job, my life. I don't know it any different and I am fine with that. Dealing with this side of life can be a pain though. I'm constantly conversing with spirit that are either down right nasty or very lovable. The nasty ones are awful. I have a scar that goes down my left cheek from where I was once hit and several others scars that run along my arms.

I get headaches sometimes, due to the stress of it all. I have broken bones, fractured my wrist, lost consciousness and almost lost my life on several occasions. Ghost Hunting is a dangerous thing, but you get used to it. I have been on more cases than I could ever count, and an awful lot of them have been pretty bad. But there is not a single case I have yet to solve. When I am in charge, everything gets done the right way and in the shortest amount of time as possible.

I don't like working in groups, and yet again it is because of the emotional attachment thing. I have trouble dealing with people anyway beside my lack in social skills. I am a well known ghost hunter in the UK and a tad bit famous in other countries. I'm no where near as famous as those twins, Oliver and Eugene Davis or a celebrity like Masako Hara. But I have a little bit of fame. And I would rather not have it. I've been requested on some of the most rediculous cases because of this. The other year, I was asked to try and locate the body of a man that had been lost at sea for almost twenty years or so.

Now, if it had been about a year when they lost him, then I would have been able to find the body. But even I couldn't do this case. I simply told my admirers that I had a busy schedule and was unable to do it. They were disappointed, but I couldn't care less. I really do not understand people. They are odd beings.

I had little contact with people, but when I was in Australia for a while, I met this one person called John Brown. We had some sort of connection and it wasn't like I hated the guy, I just didn't know how to act around people. John was training to become higher than a priest so that he could be an exorcist. I admired John's ambition but I warned him about the job. He didn't care though, he wanted to help all the lost souls just like me. Maybe because we had something in common, I felt like we might have been friends.

But I don't make friends. So I left Australia shortly after and went to China where I studied their culture for a while and then that is when I moved to Japan. I took small cases when I first moved here. Like sending someone's loved one to _heaven _or exorcising a suicidal ghost that kept breaking things in attempt to kill himself even more. The poor guy. He didn't realize that he was dead already. He claimed that he wanted to be with his wife. He didn't know that he already was.

And then after that, brings us to now. I recently accepted a case at a high school around the corner from where I live. There is an old school house that keeps causing problems when the workers are trying to demolish it. Bad things keep happening there, but I have my suspicions. It seems odd to be perfectly honest. There were rumors about a teacher committing suicide there, they found a child's body, several workers died there, things like that... But, how I wonder, do all those things link to create a haunted school house where 'accidents' keep happening. It does seem quite odd but I will have to check it out when I go there in a short while.

I am using an alias while I am in Japan, I don't want people to recognize my name and start giving me unwanted attention. I blend in a little bit here anyway, so if anyone knew my appearance they would think they mistook me for someone else. Which is a good thing for me. My alias is Kotomi Minami, or rather Minami Kotomi seeing as the first name comes last in Japanese whereas in the UK it is different.

I glance down at the new watch I bought for myself. It said 3 o'clock. It is about time that I head off to that school and take a look at the old school house while the students are still in school. That seems like the best time to do it. I would rather not have awe struck teens watch my every move. The very thought disgusts me.

I take my long black coat that reaches my calves and wrap it around me, ever so slightly exposing my navy tee shirt and black pants. I loved wearing this attire, I think the dark cold colors suit me just fine and they are very comfortable clothing. I love the coat the most because it reminds me of a very famous English detective characters name Sherlock Holmes. I think I need the deer-stalker hat and then Sherlock and I could be one in the same. We are both awesome people.

Walking outside of my large home, I quickly lock the door and start making my way to the high school. I don't remember ever going to school. I'm just naturally gifted and full of intelligence. But sometimes the fact that I don't know how I learned all this information irks me a lot. When I was seven, and started to make new memories, I remembered information and questioned what I had already knew.

My fighting skills are incredible, I can move so quickly and swiftly that you wouldn't even believe that I had passed. I have unbelievable strength and can run rapidly without needing all this extra warm up or training. I can read people as easy as reading a book and I have psychic powers. Telepathy, an amazing amount of psychokinesis (pk for short), I can astral project and few other things that I know how to do but don't know the name of. It's like I am superhuman.

I turn around a corner and the high school comes into sight. The cherry blossom trees dancing in the wind and the loose petals dancing at my feet, I walk through the entrance to school grounds. There were students all over the place and I silently cursed. I had come when they were having a break!

That means that stupid teens will be watching my every move. I think the fact that a very beautiful dashing woman walking towards the haunted old school house will startle them, so how am I suppose to get past without at least one of them sensing my presence? I think I will chance it and run over. There aren't a lot of people near the building apart from a black van blocking my view.

Taking in a deep breath I take a step back and then bolt towards the building. I was about to reach the door when I heard voices from inside. I stop immediately and take a quick look inside. I see no one so I try to use some ESP thing which I am yet to know the name of. With this ability I can detect human energy from within a mile's radius. My breathing hitches when I realize there are seven people inside and one of them seems really familiar.

Chancing it, I walk inside towards a room to the left where the people are. I hear them talking about what the haunting could be. I lean against the door frame with my arms crossed just listening in to their conversation.

"I still think that it is an earth spirit." The red haired lady says. _Well she is clearly wrong there!_

"I have told you already, there are no spirits here." A short black haired girl wearing a kimono says. _Woah, woah wait a second! Is that Hara Masako?!_

"John what do you think?" A smooth male voice asks. I glance to where the equipment is set up and see a boy about my height clad in black. He seems very familiar to me. Have I seen him before? Maybe along my travels or the other day when I was exploring Tokyo. Hang on another second, did that guy say _John?_

"Well, I err... I'm not too sure mate." Says a voice. I recognize that accent, it's Australian and sounds like the John I know.

"Have you figured it out yet?" A voice from beside me asks. A little surprised, I turn to see a girl with glasses and plaits. She seems like she wants attention, she likes to draw everyone to her, I can feel it. But there is something off about her.

"K-kuroda?!" Someone from within the room says. I look over to see a girl with brown hair up to her shoulders. She is a student at the school, it seems, so why is she here with the famous celebrity medium and a bunch of other people I don't know or recognize? It appears like she doesn't want to be here though.

Everyone's gaze turns towards the door way where I and this irritating Kuroda person stands. The girl with short brown hair shrieks and clings onto the boy dressed in black. He stands still but stiffens at her touch. Oh I see, he doesn't really like emotional attachment either. Maybe we could get along.

"Ghost Naru! It's a ghost!" She screeches. I growl under my breath. Does this girl not know the difference between the living and spirits?

"Wait _Naru? _As in Noll?" I mumbled to myself. He certainly appears foreign. You won't get those blue eyes in this country that's for sure and he may speak Japanese but that doesn't mean anything. I am foreign, and I speak Japanese. But you won't find my color eyes in this country either. Bright green... But my eyes shine a brilliant electric blue when I use my powers.

"Relax Mai," This Naru person said to the girl. "She's not a ghost."

"Great," Said the red head. "So the principal doesn't trust any of us to complete the job if he called in more people. Who are you anyway?"

I scowled and moved into the room walking over to them and said, "Minami Kotomi. And what do I owe the pleasure?" I let the sarcasm drip from my voice. I know that I haven't really socialized much but this woman has an awful personality. What's her problem anyway? It's not like I already solved it but I will be the first that's for sure.

"Matsuzaki Ayako." She said with a huff. "I'm a shrine maiden."

"Really now," I said. "I was under the impression that shrine maidens are pure and innocent. You seem too old to be innocent and you wear to much make up to be pure."

She growled a little and I suppressed a smirk, I could feel it pulling at the corners of my mouth. Matsuzaki went red in the face and turned her back to me, making her way over to the man with his hair tied back in a pony tail. I wonder what he can do? He's obviously too intelligent to be her assistant...

"Wow Kotomi-chan," Said Mai. "You and Naru are one in the same." _Seriously, what is with this 'Naru' business?! Is that even a word?_

"Chan?" I repeated. _Chan?! _"And who is Naru?"

I had already figure it out but I wanted to be introduced to him personally. I wanted to see who he really was, the guy intrigued me. Mai pointed at Naru, "This is Naru, Kotomi-chan. And what is with the chan dislike? You're younger than me aren't you? So chan is the correct honorific to use."

"I'm seventeen Mai." I said as I watched her face scrunch up in confusion. "And judging by your uniform, I would say that you are fifteen or sixteen."

I thought of a sarcastic clap in my mind and immediately shooed it away. Now is not the time to be doing stupid stuff like this. My attention went back to Mai as a thoughtful expression crossed her features. "Then how come you are not in school?" She said.

"I've never been to school," I said. "There has never been a need to go. I'm already smart enough as it is."

"Oh my god, you are Naru!" She screeched again. "Are you sure you are not a Naru clone at all? That would be cool."

I shook my head and went to the nearest chair I could find which just so happened to be at the monitors and _Naru. _After I took a seat, my shoulders relaxed and I sighed a little bit. "Enough with the irrelevant talk," I said. "What have you found out about this place already?"

The others all shared a look and then glanced from me to Naru. I scowled and I imagine he is too. They shared another glance before the man with his brown hair tied back spoke. "Well," He began. "We can't really decide what the spirit is. or in some cases, if there even is a spirit to begin with."

I sighed again. "Okay that's enough. I'm going to get a feel of the place. You guys go about your usual bantering."

Closing my eyes, I stretched out my senses to try and find a spirit if anything. But there was nothing. I scrunched up my face before trying again... Still, there was nothing to work with. I opened my eyes and noticed that everyone was still looking at me with confused looks. _Stupid people... don't they know anything?_

"Uh Minami-san?" One of them asked. It was the same man that had bothered me earlier. "What are you doing?"

My frustration was nearing its peak. I spoke slowly as if talking to a young child. "I... am... getting... a... feel... to... the... place."

He looked dumfounded so I decided to elaborate. "I will explain this for your sake because it doesn't look like you are understanding this simple information. I am sensing the area around us for any energy and so far there is nothing other than ourselves in the old school house. Understand?"

He stepped back and nodded, hurt flashed through his eyes. I gulped and got up, passing by I muttered a "sorry" before I went outside for a breath of air. Sighing, I lent against the wooden wall. It was starting to creak and it felt as though it was going to break. I stepped forward and accidentally walked into someone. It was Mai.

"Oh there you are," She said, her eyes as bright as the stupid sun. "Why did you wander off like that?"

I gulped down some saliva that had gathered under my tongue, "I don't get along with people very well and I often hurt them without realizing. I think I hurt that man before when I suddenly snapped. It just gets so frustrating when people don't know what I am talking about."

"There's no need to be like that. You're getting along with me okay." She said smiling at me. "There's no need to worry. I'm sure Monk will forgive you. And you apologized didn't you, he won't hold it against you. I haven't known him that long but he doesn't seem like the type of person to hold grudges."

"Monk?" I asked rather puzzled. _Is that man really a monk or is it some lame nick name?_

"Oh yeah, you haven't been introduced to anyone yet." Mai said. "His name is Houshou Takigawa and he is a monk from Mt Kouya, he is kinda on a vacation from the temples and he is hanging out down here for the time being. I call him Monk, so do a few of the others."

I nodded but stopped in my tracks when I heard a blood curdling scream and a loud thud.

Mai and I raced around the corner to see who had fallen. My heart started to thump and my shaky hands reached out but I resisted that urge. Hara Masako had fell from the top floor and she was currently unconscious. There was blood dripping down from her temple, creating red lines along her face. She was paler than usual and it was beginning to worry me.

I heard people running towards the three of us, preferably the rest of that investigation team. They were shouting the medium's name and John was shaking her by the shoulders. She didn't stir from her quiet slumber. She lay there peacefully as the blood continued to pour out.

"Call the ambulance!" Matsuzaki-san yelled. She had rushed over to Hara-san with a fist aid kit. Too bad that it won't help her awaken.

Soon enough, an ambulance had came and the semi conscious girl was lifted inside, John going with her. Her eyes flipped open and she whimpered a little before turning her attention to me. She gave a pained smile behind her kimono sleeve before she spoke.

"There are no spirits here," She said. "I leaned against the wall and it broke. I fell out of my own ignorance... _Minami Kotomi._"

I watched, my mouth agape, as the ambulance drove away. Sirens blaring, that was the last I would see of Hara Masako until she was released from the hospital, and that could be a while. I've had my fair share of hospital visits, I know what it is like. Maybe I should visit her sometime.

Seconds turned to minutes before I moved from my place outside the old school house and joined the others inside. They were discussing several things, why Hara-san had fallen, what it could be, why it might have happened. And they were _all_ far of base.

"I think that I will just exorcise the ghost so that we can all go home and never see each other again." Matsuzaki says waving a hand in the air. I noticed that she was wearing white robes, had her hair tied back in a low pony tail and was clutching onto a bell. She was going to perform a Shinto style exorcism.

"You go do that then," Takigawa said slumping against the wall with a frown on his face. "Watch me," Matsuzaki says walking into another room with the principal following shortly behind. We all turned to the cameras to watch what she was going to do. And I will admit, I am intrigued to say the least.

I sit in front of a monitor next to Mai, and we watch as Matsuzaki begins her exorcism. The principal stands to one side of the room while the shrine maiden stands in the center, waving a stick with tassels on the end.

She begins, "I reverently pray for thy presence. Deign to ensconce thyself in this unhallowed place, and purify its many vessels. I ask that my humble plea may be heard, that peace and calm may be granted unto this place." The rest of her sentence was drowned out by Mai asking questions, I sent her a glare.

"May this place be as the High, Heavenly place. May the energy from all around come together. Praise be to the goddess Marishitem. I pray thee, descend, and grant us divine protection." She finished. I growled under my breath and tried to control the angry outburst that was nearing its limit. I have never seen a Shinto styled exorcism before and Mai had ruined most of it for me with her silly questions.

Of course, I knew about that style of exorcism. I just haven't seen one in person and that is what I wanted. But then there was a mundane sitting next to me that knew of nothing and felt the need to ask questions she could easily attain the answer to another time...

"There will be nothing to worry about now," I heard Matsuzaki continue. She bowed to the principal. He bowed in return.

"My, very impressive. It was performed beautifully," Said the principal. "What would you say to a party in your honor?"

She smiled but shook her head, "No. I have to stay for the next twelve hours or so and keep an eye on the place."

The principal smiled back, "What a professional you are. Then maybe we can meet up for lunch sometime."

Matsuzaki and the principal walked out of the room, the rest of us following behind them. We came to the doorway and I jolted back in surprise. The glass was starting to shake and cracks were starting to form. Matsuzaki ducked and the others tool a step back. However the principal wasn't so lucky. The impact of the glass sent him flying back and he fell to the ground. Glass shards decorating the floor around him.

"Principal!" Mai said rushing over. "Can you stand?!"

He nodded meekly and Mai helped him to his feet. They moved out of the door and called for the ambulance (yet again...) to take him away. And then we all turned to Matsuzaki with a questioning look. Some of them, namely Takigawa and Mai, were scowling ever so slightly and complaining that she didn't exorcise them properly or even at all. Meanwhile, I stood there wondering what there was to exorcise in the fist place and why the glass shattered.

"You didn't exorcise them at all! Did you?!" Mai screeched walking up to the shrine maiden in question.

And that is when Kuroda walked over to us, a smug smirk adorning her features. "Well, fake Miko? Did you?"

I sighed loudly and walked closer towards them. "Enough. The exorcism failed because there was nothing to exorcise in the first place."

That caught them off guard. Kuroda bared her fists by her sides and a scowl formed on her face. "What do you know?"

"More than you do. In fact, I would say that I might even know everything there is to." I said. "In comparison to some high school student that in yearning for attention. And the only way you can do that is to make up random stories to impress your class mates. But that turned against you, didn't it?"

"N-no of course it didn't. What are you talking about?" She said. "What do you even know? Your still a teenager yourself."

"And there's the one million yen question," I said holding back a laugh, but I smirked at her. "So what if I am still a teenager? My knowledge covers a wide range and you, my _friend_, are still in education. Whereas I am not. Have you got another remark? Or are you stuck on your words?"

I let a full grown smirk grace my lips. Kuroda was quivering slightly and it made me feel a sense of victory. "W-whatever. There is still a ghost here. A poltergeist even."

"Been doing some research have you?" I said crossing my arms.

"No. A poltergeist is German for _noisy spirit_." Kuroda said ignoring my comment. "Most accounts of poltergeists describe movement or levitation of objects, such as furniture and cutlery, or noises such as knocking on doors. Poltergeists have also been claimed to be capable of pinching, biting, hitting and tripping people."

"I know what the word means. I speak German," I said earning a glare.

"Whatever. I think there is a poltergeist there. I know so."

I bit back a laugh. "There is no ghost, spirit or even a poltergeist there and _I _know so." I walked away and went back inside the old school house where the infamous narcissist stands. I want to see what he thinks about this. His opinion could help me come to a conclusion. Now, I just have to make him say these things.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thanks for anyone who read my newer story. I have been waiting ages to write this story and I couldn't not write it for any longer. I will still work on my incomplete stories and update as regularly as I can. If you have anything you want me to include in any of the stories, please feel free to ask me. Oh, and all criticism is welcomed but please refrain from making me feel too bad. I want to stay a happy person. :) Thanks!

And for the 'guest' that reviewed on the fist chapter, may I ask what you meant by more original story? One that I have created or one that follows the GH story? I plan to use some cases from the original but I am going to create my own here and there.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Ghost Hunt.

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**Chapter two**

I let a full grown smirk grace my lips. Kuroda was quivering slightly and it made me feel a sense of victory. "W-whatever. There is still a ghost here. A poltergeist even."

"Been doing some research have you?" I said crossing my arms.

"No. A poltergeist is German for _noisy spirit_." Kuroda said ignoring my comment. "Most accounts of poltergeists describe movement or levitation of objects, such as furniture and cutlery, or noises such as knocking on doors. Poltergeists have also been claimed to be capable of pinching, biting, hitting and tripping people."

"I know what the word means. I speak German," I said earning a glare.

"Whatever. I think there is a poltergeist there. I know so."

I bit back a laugh. "There is no ghost, spirit or even a poltergeist there and _I _know so." I walked away and went back inside the old school house where the infamous narcissist stands. I want to see what he thinks about this. His opinion could help me come to a conclusion. Now, I just have to make him say these things.

I made my way inside and came face to face with Naru in the base. He raised an eyebrow at me as I walked over to him and sat by the monitors. I dusted off invisible dust and gave him a quick glance before turning to the see what was on the monitors. "Still think it's a ghost?" I ask him.

He pauses for a moment before joining me in looking at the monitors. "No. I trust Ms Hara's judgement and you seem to know what your talking about. There is not enough evidence to say that there is a ghost at all. Although there is the wonder in what is causing these... disturbances."

"Have you tried using normal science to try and solve this?" I ask giving him a pointed glance. "This place could be completely normal and it's something stupid like land subsidence which is the cause of everything. It certainly fits our little equation. I noticed that there was four wells around and they appear to be dry. You never know, but it could be land subsidence and we just mistook it for something paranormal. It's quite common to do so, especially inexperienced people like the others."

"Inexperienced..." Naru mused. He folded his arms and stared straight a head. "Why are they inexperienced? To my knowledge, they have been in this _business _for a while now. Especially Father Brown, he would have had years training. He's certainly not inexperienced."

I nod. "Exactly. When I met John, he was a step away from becoming a priest and was on his way to be coming an exorcist. I do admire his passion for the subject and length he put into it. Years he spent training, I am surprised that he didn't give up half way through."

"You knew John?" Naru asked. His eyes widened slightly and I think that is the most emotion I have gotten out of him all morning.

"Yes," I answered trying to watch my words. I don't want anyone to know my real identity just yet. "A year or so ago, I was in Australia for a few months before I went elsewhere. I met John and the two of us could have been friends, I guess... Then I left and John continued with his studies."

I paused, remembering my time in Australia. I enjoyed my time there. It was rather quiet, to my liking. And the sun was nice. The only thing I disliked was having to wear clothing shorter than the norm. I don't fancy wearing short shorts and tops that barely cover any skin. I shiver at the very thought.

"At least you know someone here. And you seemed to recognize Ms Hara too. She's very famous for a teenager. Quite like a few others I have heard of."

"Really," I say. "Like who?"

"Three people that come from the UK." He said. "Oliver and Eugene Davis and Astrid Blake. They're very famous and all teenagers, I think."

_Oh I know_, I thought, _I'm one of them. _Maybe I could probe him on the subject. See what information he knows. I've also heard a lot of Oliver and Eugene Davis. I have always wished to meet them. It would be great, knowing that there was someone else out there just like yourself. And they come from the same country. There are endless possibilities that could happen. Like suddenly meeting them out of no where.

"What do you know about them?" I asked. "I'm curious."

Naru leaned on another chair that was next to myself. He rubbed his forehead before turning to face me with a look I couldn't quite read. Which was odd, I could easily read people even if they were hiding behind a facade. But why can't I now?

"From my knowledge, Eugene was a perfect medium who could channel ghosts from whatever era in whatever country. Oliver has a lot of psychokinesis. You know what that is, don't you?" I gave a quick nod and then he continued. "But it is dangerous for him to use his ability without someone to use as a partner. His brother, G... Eugene acted as his partner before he disappeared and now Oliver doesn't have a partner and can't use his ability."

I noticed that he had to pick his words carefully and that he almost let something slip. Little did he know though, he has already revealed so much without himself knowing. Like the fact that Eugene is missing. That news hasn't gone public and people exceptionally close to the family will only know this. He knows more than he lets on.

"Astrid Blake..." He continued facing me with a curious glint in his blue eyes. "There is little known about her other than the fact that she is an orphan, was born and raised in Scotland in the Uk and she disappeared years ago. No one knows whether she is dead or alive. Or even where she is."

"Oh..." I said trying to fake disappointment. "I was hoping to hear more. Those three seem very interesting."

"I agree." He said turning back to the monitors and examining a few screens. "You know, it might actually be land subsidence like you said. It certainly fits the circumstances. I will have to look into it later on when I have the time. For now I will explore other check over the cameras and see if there are any other... disturbances. But I need to find Mai. She's new and only started to work with me this morning but she is useless. I'm considering firing her but she is in my dept."

I let out a laugh and then quickly cover my mouth in shock. Why did I just laugh?! I haven't laughed in years, maybe even longer. Whatever possessed me to be like this all of a sudden? It isn't adding up, in my eyes. I really don't like it.

"Is there something wrong?" Naru asks noticing my sudden _scene. _

I shake my head. "No, not at all. I just remembered that I promised Hara-san that I would visit her in the hospital."

"Okay," He said. "You are free to go about your own business. Come back later to listen to what I have found."

I stood up and walked towards the door before saying, "I'm not your assistant. Mai is."

I had exited the room and just as I had, I heard a low chuckle. Blushing a light pink, I quickly moved out of the school grounds. What is wrong with me?! Laughing and blushing? I must be sick, ill or have a cold. Yeah, that must be it. That is the only plausible explanation that fits.

Hailing a cab, I climb in and ask to go to the hospital. The driver nods and starts to drive away. The ride was short. But I liked it that way. It was so quiet. There was no loud Mai, no annoying Kuroda, no monks, no shrine maidens, no priests, no mediums, no narcissists, no people. Just me, myself and I. And the driver, of course.

The cab came to a stop, I payed the driver and marched into the hospital. I walked up to the front desk where a lady, preferably in her twenties, was polishing her long nails. I looked at her in disgust. She is supposed to be well alert for anyone that may possibly come in and yet, here she is polishing her nails!

I cleared my throat but she didn't acknowledge me whatsoever. "Tch." I muttered.

Her head snapped up and she jolted back in surprise. _Oh, now she notices me! _She took a moment to compose herself before asking me why I was here and turning to her sign in book on top of the desk she was working at. I sighed a loud sigh and glared at her impatiently.

"I am here to visit Hara Masako. Which room is she in?"

The lady looked at me with a sense of uncertainty in her eyes but she gave me the room number anyway. She watched me as I trailed along the hall and took the elevator up to floor three. When the elevator opened, my feet carried me rather slowly along the floor. I read the names of patients as I passed by.

_Yagami Reika, Fijiwara Mei, Lin Koujou, Har- _wait a moment. Did that say 'Lin Koujou'? The Chinese fella I met in when I was in China? What is he doing in Japan? I walk over to his door and peer inside through the door. Sat up in bed was a man in what appeared to be his twenties. He had black hair that went over one side of his face, pale skin and a cold aura around him. Yes, this was Lin alright!

"Lin!" I called walking into the room and closing the door behind me. "What are you doing here?"

He looked surprised at my sudden intrusion but then gave me a small smile. Which, I learned, he only does to those he is close to. Perhaps, I should feel honored by this small fact. Lin Koujou is a hard man to get emotion past his stern facade. But I managed to pull it off, as always.

"Astrid." He acknowledged. I gave him a rare smile. He continued, "A clumsy girl was about to touch one of my investigation cameras so I went to stop her and a book case fell on top me. It has damaged my leg but I should be released from hospital soon enough and on crutches. I can then see how the team has gotten on then, the _president _has failed to keep me informed."

I laughed a little. Yet again, another rare thing for me to do. But it's Lin. The two of us are a rare pair and we act more open when others aren't present.

"Wait. What team? Are you investigating again?" I ask him as I sat down on a chair next to his bed.

"Yes. Do you remember me telling you that I had to babysit a boy the same age as you all the time? I was only in China then for a family visit and a break from the babysitting job. Well, the boy I babysat is the _president _of Shibuya Psychic Research here in Japan. An so we came here and we recently got a case at a high school around the corner from here."

I stopped him before he could say anything else. "So you are the assistant that Taniyama Mai had to replace? Kazuya must have it hard if you are his babysitter! What a laugh! Lin babysitting..."

I broke out into a fir of laughter and calmed myself when someone entered the room. It was the lady from earlier. I suddenly gulped down some saliva and turned to face her with a fake smile on my lips. "How nice to meet you again." I told her.

"I thought you were visiting Hara Masako, not Lin." She said walking further into the room and stopping at the end of our bed.

"I was about to when I heard calls of distress coming from this room." I lied with a voice of mockery. "I rushed inside to tend to this poor man with my humble soul and very caring nature. I helped him out and now he is forever in my dept. Aren't you Koujou?"

Lin nodded convincingly but kept his mouth shut, letting me play my weird little game. The lady just gave me a look and turned to Lin giving him a little smile. I felt like being sick. She was flirting with him without the use or words. Batting her eyelashes and sending him smiles. How strange...

"Lin-san, someone else will come and visit you in the next ten minutes. He told you to stay awake and be prepared to listen to a long speech about what he has found out. Take care, Lin-san. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call." She said and left the room.

I sighed and turned to Lin. "It seems you have an admirer Lin. Same old, same old."

He sent me a scowl. "Earlier you said something about Kazuya. When did you meet him?"

"Oh," I said. "This morning when I was invited on the case to investigate the old school house. There are several others working on the case as well. A monk, a miko, a medium and a priest. He's the one I told you about that one time. John Brown? Remember anything about him?"

"Ah yes, the boy that wanted to become an exorcist." Lin mused. "So he finally became one then, did he?"

I nodded, "I haven't seen him do anything yet or even spoken to him at all though because when Hara-san fell from the building, John went with her."

"Wait one minute. Did you say _Hara-san, _meaning Hara Masako?" Lin asks. I nod in reply.

"So she is there too. If only that principal knew who he had asked to exorcise that building. I'd like to see his expression but I don't think either one of you are going to tell him who you are. Hmph..."

"Wait did you say either one of you? Who else do you mean?" I was interrupted by a rapping at the open door. I turned to face Naru and he looked back at me with equal surprise. Ignoring him, I turned back to Lin. "Who did you mean?" I asked him. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Come on Lin! You can tell me, can't you?" I say sighing quite loudly.

"I thought you were visiting Ms Hara." Said Naru walking into the room. He took a seat next to me and I groaned. Lin's mouth fell agape and I was looking at him questioningly before answering the narcissist.

"I heard that from the irritating lady downstairs only moments ago when she came to deliver your message personally to Koujou, here. Naru."

"_Koujou?!_"

"_Naru?!_"

"Yeah and?" I asked at their confusion. In truth, it was confusing me too. What was their problem. "What's up with me calling each of you by your names?"

"Nothing," Naru muttered. "I was just wondering why you called Lin by his fist name."

"Someone jealous are they?" I teased. "I know I am perfect and all, but you don't to get jealous because I have called someone I know by their fist name. Well actually, I think you should because I don't call many people by their fist name. Only John and Koujou here. But I mostly call him Lin."

I rambled on trying to distract the pair as they gave me questioning looks. I attempted to bite back a laugh but failed. What's wrong with me today?!

"A- Kotomi why are you laughing all of a sudden? This is very unlike you." Lin comments making me laugh that little bit more.

"I don't know." I said after I calmed down a bit. "I think being surrounded by people once again has put me off a bit. You know what I am like."

Lin nods and straightens himself up a bit. "Anyway Kotomi, you were saying..."

"Ah yes," I began. "So the idiot you babysat all these years was this guy?"

I pointed a thumb in Naru's direction and smirked at him. Lin chuckles, '"I believe so."

"So _he_ was the one who caused all of these poltergeists and had PK problems?" I muse resting my head on my hand.

"Just what have you been telling people about me, Lin?" Naru says staring at Lin with one eyebrow raised.

"Nothing much." Lin replied. "I only told Kotomi a years ago because we were living in the same neighbor hood at the time and we spoke often about our lives and such. She told me certain things about her life, and I told her some things about mine. That may have included you among those things."

"Wait you two knew each other? How long ago was this. And Kotomi, where are you even from. You said you spent some time in Australia before you came here too. And that you traveled for a while." Naru said shocking me and Lin. We shared a glance. When had Naru started calling me by my fist fake name and why the sudden interest in me. I know I am beautifully mystifying but a narcissist, and _that _narcissist of all people?

"I am originally from the UK. But as you know I traveled a lot." I said. "The fist place I went was Ireland, then Germany, then France, I visited Italy and then I went to Australia. I passed through Indonesia for a few weeks. Then I lived in China for a few months, then I went to Japan. And that's all there is to it."

"Wow," Lin said. "That's more places than what you told me about. I never knew."

"Moving on," Naru said shuffling some papers he had with him. "Lin you are getting out of here tomorrow morning. I will come to pick you up, and maybe Kotomi will come too, seeing as the both of you seems to get along and we need help to get you out. Is that fine with you?"

I gave a quick nod and he continued. "About the building, I have come to a conclusion that it is actually land subsidence. That explains all of the-"

I coughed loudly. "Sorry I don't think I quite heard you there, _Naru. _Who came to a conclusion?"

"I believe I did, _Kotomi. _Have you got a problem with that?"

"No, none whatsoever. I just thought that my very handy suggestion may have helped you along with your musings, that's all."

He gave a shrug of the shoulder and continued speaking. "As I was saying, it is land subsidence. I checked all four wells around the school as _someone _suggested and they are completely dry. There is no trace of water. I made a few graphs and charts to prove my point for when one of the other imbeciles try and oppose. The glass shattering, the banging noises, and whatever else we had come across can also be explained with this theory."

"Is that so," I said. "And what of that annoying Kuroda person. She so keenly insists that there is a poltergeist there."

"That... Is still under construction. She may very well want all of that attention and thought she could create some story to please people."

"Hm, but what if there really is something there."

"You said so yourself, there was no other people or entities in the building at the time." Naru objects.

"I might have missed something. How can you be so sure my _ability _has worked or even true?"

"I don't know for sure but Father Brown seemed think so and Ms Hara had also said there were no spirits there, I trust her judgement."

"I know," I said. "You've already told me that."

"Even if there was an entity in that building, there are other reasons for that being there." He said starting to become irritated.

"Don't you think I know that." I chided enjoying him being irritated. "There could just be a floating specter following Kuroda around or something."

"Well if you knew that why did you oppose?"

"I was just testing a theory of mine."

"Which is..."

"... None of your concern."

Lin, I noticed, had an amused glint in his eyes as he watched the narcissist and I bicker. Confused, I glared at Lin. I have a feeling that he might be enjoying this far too much. "Something funny Lin?!"

"No, nothing." He said with a small smile. "Why don't we continue with the business at hand."

"Right," I said dubiously. "Got anything else narcissist because it seems like you have all the answers today."

Naru shuffled through his papers as if looking for something else, he turned back to me. "Hm, not especially. When we get back later on we will pack up the stuff and we can both be on our way. I think it's best to visit Ms Hara now, don't you think. Give Father Brown a break for a little bit."

I nod and get up, "Hǎo yùn Lin." I said in Chinese. I told him 'good luck', I think the poor guy will need it.

"Tóngshàng." He replied, simply meaning _ditto. _I laughed at him and walked out of the room and went into Hara-san's room. Opening the door, I notcied that she was asleep and John was looking out of the window. I closed the door softly behind me and walked over to him.

"John," I said in English.

He turned to face me with a smile. "Astrid!? How have you been recently?"

"Fine, fine. And you?" I walked closer to him and gave him a quick hug. I don't especially like physical touches. It's uncomfortable.

"All is well." He said. "I have finally become an exorcist! I've been waiting for this for ages."

"That's great John!" I said giving a smile. And then I got an idea. "Hey, how about one time we go on a case together?"

"Sounds good. Can't wait. So, what has been going on while I was gone?"

I sighed and started to tell him what we had found out. Every little detail had stuck in my head, I knew the place was normal. I just sensed it and all of our collected evidence showed that it was true. I just want to see how John and the others will react to what we have found. I want to be there when we tell Matsuzaki though, I bet her face will be a picture...


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Thanks for the views, reviews, follows or favorites :) It's appreciated. Enjoy...

**Disclaimer: **I will never own Ghost Hunt

* * *

**Chapter three**

I left John to tend to Hara-san, making my own way to the narcissist and Lin. But I stopped outside the door to listen in to their conversation. They were speaking in English so they were obviously being secretive. I also don't like not knowing things. Their conversation had intrigued me a lot.

"You seem happier than usual." I recognized Lin's voice.

"Do I?"

"Yes actually. I find it rather amusing considering you are miserable 90 percent of the time. Did something happen?"

"Nothing I can recall."

"Really? Okay then. What are your thoughts on Kotomi, I see the two of you are getting along."

_Pft! Getting along?! Ha, what is Lin on? _Naru replied, "She seems educated in this field of work. And, I've noticed, that she has some psychical abilities. Maybe I could train her with them, I haven't used my own for a long time. I'm out of practice. Do you think she will agree, Lin?"

There was a snort and then Lin answered. "It depends on what you are offering her. She will most likely say yes but whether she actually wants to spend time with you is what matters really. It wouldn't fall too well if you spent hours at a time training your powers with someone you dislike."

I smiled. _Thanks for that Lin, _I thought, _make the narcissist feel like I don't like him so that-_

"But I think you are one of the only people that she will stand for, along with John and myself." Lin continued. "She's been alone all of her life so she isn't a very sociable person. It's hard to get along with her unless you have similar traits or have developed some kind of bond with her."

"Bond?"

"Yes, a bond. John created a bond with her but they aren't friends or lovers. And yet, they don't mind each other's company. It's a similar with me. The two of us share a few traits and I'd like to think that we could have been friends. You just have to know how to get on her good side, then you will be able to make her act like her true self around you."

"So she is wearing a facade all of the time?" Naru asks. "But why?"

"That's up to her to tell you. But she isn't actually wearing a facade all of the time." Lin replied. "Most of what you see in her behavior is very much true. Like her standoffish attitude, for example. But when you are closer than other people, she will laugh and smile and maybe even crack a joke. That's just the way she is."

"When we were talking earlier in the old school house, she laughed and then covered her mouth in surprise." Naru stated.

"She will do that because she had laughed. She hasn't laughed in good while. She was just shocked that she had done that around a new person. It took her months to even smile around me. And now, she is laughing and making fun of situations. Just before she was tormenting me in front of the desk lady, something she has not done in some time."

"What's her real name?" Naru suddenly burst out. My heart began to thump loudly in my chest, bumping into my rib cage and causing an ugly red shade to come onto my cheeks. I was panicking. If Lin tells him then I will curse him to the fiery depths of hell and banish him forever.

"Tell her who you are and then she will tell you who she is."

I silently thanked Lin and then resumed listening to their conversation. Naru then spoke. "Is she of some importance then if she is hiding her real identity? Or is she maybe hiding from society for some reason? Kotomi really is a mystery, eh?"

"She is indeed. She won't even tell me certain things about herself. But good luck Noll, she needs someone in her life that can bring her happiness. Just like yourself, even though you won't admit it. She can help you tame your powers, you know. She has a lot of abilities."

"Really now..." Naru said with a curious tone. I gulped. _Am I his new puzzle to play with? _If that is the case, I think I will play along. I guess that my time in Japan will be even more interesting than I thought it would be. I am uncharacteristically getting excited. How strange of me.

"Well then," Naru said. "I'm going to find her so that we can get back. I want to make sure all of the equipment is still in check. If I find out that Mai has broken anything else I think I will lose control of my Pk, Lin. If that happens, make sure you are there to help."

"There's no need for me to be there to help. A- Kotomi is there now."

I walked away from the door and made it back outside of Hara'san's room. I wanted to make it look like I had just come out of there and not listening in to their conversation. I don't think Naru and Lin would be too pleased if they knew I had my ear to the door listening intently.

The door opened and Naru stepped out, he had a ghost of a smile on his face. I wonder what Lin said to him once I had left... Gee, Lin always knows how to make people cheer up without even saying much. Especially if people never really get him to talk and then he says something to them, it makes them feel like they have earned something in their miserable lives.

"Ko-to-mi?" He called. I jerked my head in his direction. "Were you even listening?"

I rub the back of my neck and give him a sheepish smile. "No. What were you saying?"

Naru rubbed his forehead and grabbed me by the elbow, pulling me towards the elevator. I gasped at him suddenly grabbing my elbow. But I didn't shake him off like I would have anyone else. John doesn't even do things like that because he knows I don't like physical contact with people.

Naru and I go into the elevator. The door closes and the ground floor button was pushed. We stood in silence for a moment before he spoke.

"When we get back," He started. "You will help me put some equipment in the van and then you can help me tell the others what we have thought up. I would do it myself but they are too loud and will only yell question after question. I can't be dealing with them right now. That's why you can do it."

"In case you have forgotten," I said removing his hand from my elbow. "I am not your assistant. Why can't Mai do it. I have better things to deal with."

He sighed, "Mai is incapable of doing such things. Especially with her weak complex and stupidity. It's better to get someone who is perfectly capable."

A pink color dusted my cheeks. Naru had just indirectly complemented me and insulted Mai in the same sentence. I'm sure Mai would be mad and crazy jealous considering over the day she has made some sort of _crush _on Naru. You know, the narcissist kind of grows on you. I'm sure that Mai and I both disliked him some point today.

I glanced at him. He was sorting through some papers that he had earlier. "What's that?" I questioned.

"Lin's release papers." He answered. "I'm goving them to the receptionist so that we can collect Lin tomorrow. What time do you usually wake up?"

"Whatever time the pills let me." I muttered but he had heard it. I gulped a little at his questioning stare. He was silently asking me to elaborate.

"Um, I suffer with night terrors and so to stop them the doctor suggested I take them at least two nights a week. But recently I have been taken two pills every two nights because the terrors have gotten worse. That's all. Tomorrow, I should be able to come at about six in the morning. Is that fine?"

He gave a short nod and then the elevator doors opened. We stepped out and glided over to the front desk. The lady was still (_still?!) _polishing her nails. It was driving me mad! What if someone in need of great medical attention just arrived and there she was thoroughly examining her nails.

"Tch," I said. "Any time today, if you would?"

The lady gasped and looked up quickly. She straightened herself and stared lovingly at Naru. I felt like I was going to be sick. What was wrong with me today? I coughed loudly and she glanced at me with distaste. Scowling, I leaned on the desk. Her glare didn't go unnoticed.

"Pass her the papers so that we can leave." I gruffly told Naru. He passed them over and glanced at me with an amused glint in his eyes.

"These are the release papers for Lin Koujou. We will arrive tomorrow to collect him." Naru said.

The girl picked them up, examined them - _Oh my lord! Nails are not the only thing she can examine! _- and put them in a folder. She stared at Naru for a brief moment and then scribbled something on a piece of paper and handed it to him. I glanced at it quickly. There was a long line of numbers. _Great, _I sighed, _she is giving him her phone number! _Does that scream 'desperate' or am I just imagining it. Naru looked at it and gave her a fake smile, stuffing the note in his pocket.

I suppressed a laugh. He wasn't interested, that fake smile said it all. But the lady was overly excited and happy that it made me feel sick to my stomach. How can someone that just sort of got rejected by a stranger she met that afternoon, and still be happy and naive? People confuse me.

"If you're quite finished," I said breaking up her silent excitement. "I think you have a job to do."

I walked out leaving Naru and the stupid woman staring at me. I started to look around for a cab when someone coughed behind me. It was Naru wearing the smuggest expression I have seen yet. And I wanted to rip it off his handsome face. That's what I wanted to do.

"Are you finished with one of your moods yet?" He asks.

I shrug, "What mood?"

I see a taxi cab and call it over and get in. Naru just stares at the open door. "You getting in or what?"

He climbs into the seat next to me and closes the door behind me. "That's what I'm talking about," He says. "You are in a mood all because that annoying woman gave me her phone number. You do know that it could be the hospitals secret number and she gave it to me so we could check up on Lin."

"Bastard." I mutter in English.

He half chuckled, half growled back in the same language. "I can speak English too, you know. I was born there."

"Oh sorry that I forgot something you never told me. How silly of me!" I said with a hint of mockery.

We continued to bicker in the English language and the driver of the cab kept giving us nervous glances. I wanted to burst out laughing at the uncomfortable laughs he kept giving us but I was too caught up in fighting with the narcissist to do that. Instead, I just ignored him until the cab stopped. I went to pay the driver when Naru payed instead. I was quite surprised at what he just did. It was quite 'generous' especially considering this was Naru we are talking about.

"You don't need to pay for me." I say getting out of the taxi and walking into the school grounds.

"It was my pleasure." He said with sarcasm dripping from every word. "I'm surprised that you managed to pay the first time round."

We were nearing the old school house now and I was close to smacking the narcissist in the face. "I am more than capable."

"Really now," He mutters. "Then your attire is just another way to hide yourself."

"No!" I half shout half yell. "My _attire _is comfortable for me to wear. It doesn't matter whether the clothes I bought are worth one thousand yen or fifty yen, I'll wear them anyway. Like you can talk, you probably payed millions for your black shirt, pants and shoes. Leave _my _attire out of this."

He grumbles something under his breath as we enter the old school house and move closer to base. "Sorry what was that?" I said.

"I didn't pay millions for my clothes," He says. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

I shrug, "You seem like a perfectionist to me. Perfect face, perfect job, perfect this, perfect that. Why wouldn't you want the best clothes?"

"You think I have a perfect face?" He asks with one eyebrow raised. "As in handsome?"

"Well your not ugly." I mutter. Pink dusted my cheeks for like the fifth time today and we enter base. He replied, "Thanks for that. Like I needed telling anyway."

"Whatever narcissist." My feet carry me over to a chair by the monitors and I collapse in it, exhausted. The others walk into the room quite noisily and begin chatting about random nonsense before noticing that we are back. I wonder if they even knew we had left at all. They do seem quite air headed.

"Oh your back," Matsuzaki says. She rubs and hand over one arm and joins Naru and I by the monitors. "Where did you go?"

Naru answers for me. "Kotomi went to visit Ms Hara and I went to see my real assistant." He glares at Mai but she ignores him.

"Oh, I've had my hands full making sure Mai doesn't randomly injure herself. She is such a clumsy girl." She says glancing at the said girl. "John just got back. He's going to perform an exorcism in one room where it is colder than usual. He should be ready in a minute or so."

I glance at Naru, as does he. "Um about that. There is no-"

"Shush! He's about to start." She says clasping her hands together. "Let's go watch."

"No need. I have already seen a Catholic based exorcism. I'm not interested." I say getting up and going outside to come face to face with... Kuroda. I sigh and ask her what she wants. Kuroda says, "What is the news? Have you guys found anything about the ghost yet?"

Cursing under my breath, I answer. "They are exorcising something that isn't there. They just don't know that and are currently refusing any theory I shove there way. Events that have been happening here are due to something called land subsidence. You know what that is, right?"

She scowls at me. "But what of the ghost. I know there is one here. I just know there is. I've never been wrong before."

"Well I'm afraid that you are today." I said quickly becoming impatient.

"If you believe that there is one here," Came someone's voice. "Why don't you exorcise it yourself?"

We turn around to see Naru graciously walking towards us. He stopped next to me and gave me a reassuring nod. Kuroda sees and huffs in frustration. "Trust you to agree with someone that has a pretty face. I guess your a sucker for them as well? I should have known."

"You think I'm pretty?" I say confused. "That is the understatement of the century."

She glares at me, "What do you mean? You are the nicest looking girl I have seen in a while and he is the nicest looking guy I have seen in a while."

"Well," I started. "I'm not that pretty. Your glasses must be blurry or something. Have you even looked at me properly?"

"Yes I have." She states. "You are a certain type of pretty. One that attracts male attention and refuses to acknowledge that is what is happening. You have nice colored skin, I believe you are foreign. That is a turn on for some people." My face scrunches in disgust. "Your lips are the perfect shade, you have nice eyes and long lashes. Even with that scar on your face, you looks great. The scar just adds to it all. And I'm sure that if you took off your coat, you will look nicer. Here, give me your coat."

I frown. _What the hell is she saying and why will removing my awesome coat make me look nicer?! _But I remove it anyway and pass it over to her. She gives me a smile but then her eyes looks at the scars on my arms. There are only a few, especially around my wrist where that demon touched me, but other than that I have no others.

"Why do you have so many scars?" She asks adjusting her glasses and her grip on my coat.

"I'm a ghost hunter." I began. "Do you really think that I am going to do my job unscathed?"

She shakes her head but she is still beaming. "Do you see what I mean now? You are pretty and never forget that."

"Sorry what?" I ask faking confusion. She growls as I take back my coat and put it on. That's a lot better. I just want to go home now and relax.

"I could do with cuppa tea." I say and go back inside.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Thanks to the reviews, views, follows or favorites. It's really nice to know that people are actually bothering to look at my story. Just a quick reminder, what I write in the story that comes from the manga or the anime may not be in the right order and I might have missed things out. But that was the plan. When Kotomi has a dream I will use italics and the line breaker to verify this - just a heads up.

In answer to _Kurile-Akuma-no-Okami _I do not know whether it will be Naru/OC or Naru/Mai. To be honest, I think a nice change from the usual pairing won't hurt and I think the Naru/OC outcome fits for my character. I want her to be a cold lonesome person who is slowly gaining other emotions and one of them might so happen to be love. If you want, you can comment which one you may prefer and I will think about it. :)

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**Chapter four**

"Why do you have so many scars?" Kuroda asks adjusting her glasses and her grip on my coat.

"I'm a ghost hunter." I began. "Do you really think that I am going to do my job unscathed?"

She shakes her head but she is still beaming. "Do you see what I mean now? You are pretty and never forget that."

"Sorry what?" I ask faking confusion. She growls as I take back my coat and put it on. That's a lot better. I just want to go home now and relax.

"I could do with cuppa tea." I say and go back inside leaving them to follow mindlessly behind. I forced my way into base just as I hear a loud crashing noise. It sounds vaguely similar to something falling down. I scan the room quickly and notice that Matsuzaki is staring at a screen showing rubble spread out across the floor. And in the farthest corner you can see John being helped to his feet by Mai. Takigawa has just rushed in there and moved the two away from that room.

_What just happened?! _I run out of the room and go over to them. They were all panting and trying to compose themselves. I was starting to get worried. Did the room start to fall down on John when he was doing the exorcism. Gee, land subsidence doesn't really like us today, does he?

"Are you okay?" Naru says rushing to my side. "What happened?"

"I was about to finish the exorcism when the room started to cave in. If it wasn't for Mai here, I would have been seriously injured." John says brushing himself off.

"Hey Naru," Matsuzaki says coming towards us. "You were about to tell us why you solved the case. So? Out with it?"

I sighed and Naru replied. "It was land subsidence."

"You are trying to tell me that _that _was land subsidence?! Come on!" She starts but couldn't finish as there were loud thumping noises coming from the front of the building. The sounds continued, slowly getting louder. There were other noises too. Crashing. Smashing and most overall, the thumping and sliding.

"What's going on?" I mutter as we race to see what the cause was. I stop abruptly in front of the sliding doors. The glass smashes and the force almost knocks me backwards. The building starts to tip and I feel like I am about to fall forwards. A sturdy grip is placed on my elbow, I look back to see Naru. He looks like he is pain. _Oh no, he must have cut himself on the glass! _There was a slow yet low creaking noise and then something starts to fall forwards.

Panicking, I use every ounce of my PK to keep it in it's place and then I collapse right there and then. Slowly drifting off into unconsciousness as I fell someone take me in there iron grip. My eyes snap shut, the world goes silent and I find my self falling asleep.

* * *

_I'm sat in my home in Scotland. Sat in the middle of fiery flames and ruined dreams. All I wanted was to see my mummy. But the flames had claimed her their own. Silent tears slipped down my cheeks as I crawled through the fire. Trying to avoid the smokey atmosphere and the orange flames, I move towards the exit of that particular room. I wanted to find my daddy. But then I remember that he has been gone a long time. I have only met the man a few times, but then he always left and didn't see me for years on end. I'm alone now. I suppose that was my destiny all along. My mother never loved me like a mother should and my dad was never there. I didn't have any other family, no brothers or sisters, aunties or uncles, no grans or grandpa's._

_I was destined to be alone. So I didn't let anyone in. I'd lost my favorite thing then, in the fire. The favorite thing that was supposed to be with you forever. I lost my memories and I wouldn't remember then until the time was right. I was only seven then. Ten years later, and I still don't remember most of them. Only the ones that scare the hell out of me when I close my eyes at night. Those ones are the worst. I don't ever think I have had a normal peaceful dream. But I know I will not get one for a long time. I would just have to deal with it. Deal with taking the pills, or sleepless nights. I would just have to deal with it._

_As I continued to crawl through the fire, my foot got caught in a piece of fallen wood. I screamed and yelled for help but no one was coming. But that's what I get for demanding that we live in a secluded area away from everyone. I struggled trying to free myself and then that is when the fire started to caress my leg. Giving me an excruciating pain. I reached for the burning wood with my hands and tried to remove it. I was burning up with the house. My memories went up in flames. My hands were burned. My sanity was close to being hidden with smoke. I wanted out._

_I willed the flaming wood to go away. To move elsewhere and never come near me again. I imagined the wood flying into the wall and off of my leg. And then it did. I was free, at last. I limped to the door and fell to the floor. My breathing became heavy and I couldn't get up. I was paralyzed! Part of me wanted to stay there and let the flames take me so that I could be with my uncaring mother, but the other part of me was continuously yelling at me to move. _

_My eyes closed and then I heard sirens. The last thing I remember was a voice in my head. "Happy seventh birthday, Astrid."_

* * *

I was panting, the sweat rolling off my forehead and clashing with my tears. I was crying and trembling. All I could see was white and I heard the mumble of voices.

Struggling, I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room. To my right was white. To my left was white. Behind me was white. Up above me was white. In front of me was white... with Naru and someone I assume to be the doctor talking in low whispers. I growled slightly and tried to get up, but someone pushed me back down. I was about to yell when I realized that it was a nurse. _How did I miss her?! _Oh yeah, she is wearing white.

"Doctor, she is awake." The nurse said and then she turned to me. "Why are you crying? Are you in pain?"

_Sort of, emotional pain. But a medical nurse like you probably won't understand. _"No. Just a bad dream."

She nods, "It is just a dream. It's not real, so don't worry. It's over now so you can relax." _Oh please, you know nothing._

The doctor walks over and Naru sits on the edge of the bed, nurse was plumping up my pillow. But they were all looking at me, as if waiting for something to happen. It was a little unnerving but I tried to ignore that part. In a gruff voice I asked what the problem was.

"Um, A- Ms Minami." The doctor started. I gulped, it looked like he was going to say my real name then! "It seems you were feeling a little faint when you hit your head on that bookshelf. Tell me, are you eating properly and sleeping well?"

I snorted. "Night terrors."

He nods in understanding, "Well as the nurse said, they are not real. So you don't need to worry whatsoever."

I took a moment to look at the doctor. He looked foreign but oh so familiar. Have I met him before? He had green eyes, stubble on his chin, brown hair and a rounded belly. But damn, was he so familiar. I must be imagining things but it, but it seemed like I know this person. And he obviously knew me.

"Oh but doctor, they're as real as they could be." I said. "That fire won't stop tormenting me..."

I saw him flinch and he rubbed his chin. What was wrong with him, he seems guilty for some reason. But with every passing second, I feel like I know him more and more. His face seems so familiar. But only vaguely.

"Kotomi-chan, I've noticed that you have a few scars. Do you mind telling me how you got them?" The nurse asks.

I scrunch up my face, I do not want to tell her and that man, especially Naru, about how I got my scars. It's quite a personal thing. I haven't even told Lin about these things, and John doesn't even know I have them apart from the one on my face.

"David, tell the nurse to leave and go find my clothes. And drop the _chan._" I tell the doctor, the words just roll off my tongue without my consent. It shocked me quite a bit but after I had said them, it all made perfect sense why I did it. This man, David Blake, was someone who was a small part in my life. Someone who should have been there but wasn't. He was my mother's husband. My father. The stranger. The man who ran away and left me to some uncaring hag.

"Nurse, if you would?" David said. "Just give us a minute."

The nurse nods and leaves, giving me a nervous glance as she left the room. "So David," I said. "When did you learn Japanese?"

I look at David. His eyes were moist, beads of sweat were gathering on his neck, he was greying. But he wasn't greying from age, no. He wasn't greying from sadness or stress, remorse or deep guilt. He wasn't looking so good. He was close to crying. I pity the man.

"A- Kotomi. Please, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Do you forgive me... Do you?"

"Forgive what David? Forgive you for never being there? Forgive you for abandoning me with one of your wives? With that uncaring mundane? No, _no. _There is nothing to forgive there, David. Nothing that I can see." I say, you could practically see the sarcasm dripping from my voice.

"Kotomi, _please." _He said. "I'll try harder. We can move in together. We can start to do things like we used to. We can talk. We can reminisce. I miss old times, A- Kotomi. Just please forgive me and we can become a family again."

"Again?" I snort. "Whatever David. There is nothing to forgive. Has the thought ever occurred that I actually liked suffering by myself?"

"Please Kotomi." He begged. "Just listen to me."

"There's nothing to listen to, David. " I said getting up and looking around the room for any sign of my clothes.

"Astrid?! Just listen, god dammit!" He said rubbing his forehead but then he stopped when I visibly growled. How dare the lowlife say my name in front of me, in front of other people, in front of Naru! I didn't want anyone to know yet. Especially not Naru. I was planning on staying away from him my entire time in Japan and never speaking to him. But now he is probably suspicious. And I am his prime suspect.

"Where. Are. My. Clothes?" I ask through gritted teeth. When he doesn't answer, I feel my blood start to boil. My anger was rising, and it was rising fast. If I wasn't careful, my PK would get out of control. I needed to calm down and I didn't know how.

"Astrid, calm down." David said. "You old clothes were covered in blood and ripped. So I went out and bought you something to replace it."

He passes me a white bag that I didn't notice before and I peer inside. I scowl and give him the worst glare I could conjure. David had gone out and bought me a black dress. A black sleeveless dress that stopped half way through the thigh. Did the man not know me at all? Oh right, _he doesn't!_

"Thanks David." I say giving him a fake smile. "I've always wanted clothes that reveal my own flesh. Where is my coat? I want my coat!"

I know that I am starting to sound like a spoiled brat, but that coat of mine reminds me of Sherlock Holmes and its been with me through thick and thin. I've had it for many years and I wasn't planning on letting it go so soon. If I find out that-

"It was ripped." Naru says standing next to me and taking off his own coat. "Wear mine for now and we can go out and buy you a new one in replacement."

I tug on his coat and inhale deeply, trying to calm myself. At least Naru was trying to help in stead of watching the father-daughter fight from the side lines. And I know that it is hard for Naru to show affection in any sort of way, so this makes me happy. It's only a small gesture, but still...

All I can smell is tea and cologne. It smells nice, just like Naru. Wait- what did I just think?! _It smells nice? Just like Naru?! _Oh lord, I really am sick.

"Better now?" Naru asks with a ghost of a smile on his face. I feel my cheeks heat up and I turn my head away to hide it. _How embarrassing!_

Naru takes me by the elbow and drags me out of the room, muttering something quick to David. And then we are away from the man. I feel my eyes well up and the tears start to fall down my cheeks. I swear, if I start sobbing then I... And there it is! I just can't win with myself, can I?

"Are you okay?" He asks me. I sniff and face him as we climb into the elevator. The door closes and we quickly go down several floors.

"I guess." I mutter wiping my eyes and sniffing again. "That's the fourth time I have seen my father in my whole life."

"Must be sad." I hear Naru say.

"Not really." I said. "I didn't know the man. David, is a stranger to me. I couldn't care less about him now than I ever did."

"Well if it doesn't matter, then why are you crying?"

"I... I don't know."

The elevator door opens and we step out. The cold floor turning my feet blue as I pad along the hall way to the front door. It sends shivers down my spine but then I freeze. I'd rather not go outside to try and find a cab to take us back to the school, especially considering I have nothing on my feet and Naru is with me.

He feel someone put there arms around my middle and underneath my knees and then I am up in the air. Someone had taken a hold of me in their arms and they weren't putting me down. But I was too tired to object. I wanted to go asleep but I was too scared to do so. I couldn't face those nightmares again. Not on my own, anyway.

I am placed inside a car, there are two voices talking and then the quiet buzz of an engine. My eyes are feeling heavy and I yawn. No, not a good sign! I can't fall asleep just yet. I need a distraction. Wait... There is a very handsome narcissist in the car with me! He can distract me.

"Naru." I yawn. "Talk to me, say anything... I don't want to fall asleep today. I need a distraction."

"Okay," He says. "What's your real name? And why does Lin know?"

"Lin knows because I told him. That part is obvious. And why should I tell you my real name? What's in it for you?"

"The pleasure of being one of the only people that knows." He answered.

"Well if you are smart as I thought you are then you should already know." I say. "I guess you are dumb after all."

"I'm not dumb. If anyone is dumb, it's Mai." I laugh at his response. "Touche!" I say.

"I think I have an idea about who you are. I know that I am always right, so I have most likely guessed correctly."

"Oh yeah?" I say in English. If he was going to say my name then I don't want the Japanese driver to know. Things might get ugly.

"Yeah. That doctor had the last name Blake, you are father and daughter so you must share that name. You are from the UK and have been traveling for years, just like a certain someone has been missing. The doctor called you Astrid while the two of you were having an argument. If I didn't know any better, I would say you are Astrid Blake. Am I correct?"

I nod. "Now tell me your real name."

"Oliver Davis." He mutters after a little while. _Ah, I thought so. _He looks out of the window and sighs. What's up with him? Something to do with Eugene perhaps?

"Cheer up." I say. "You'll find him."

His eyes widen a fraction but then he gives me a small smile. An actual smile. He actually smiled. I smiled back, pink dusting my cheeks. Seriously, maybe I need to go see a doctor (not doctor Blake though...) about my strange reactions to this narcissist. Not knowing what is happening to me, is a little unnerving.

"Hey Naru," I yawn. "You're not as bad as I first thought. You're actually nice."

_Oh my lord! What was I saying?! Close mouth, I command you! _I swear the color of my cheeks darkened for a second there. Now they are an ugly shade of red.

"You're not so bad yourself, when you get to know you." He said smirking. Okay, the smile has gone.

"Narcissist." I say after a while. "Why can't you use your PK without a partner?"

"Because I have too much of it. If I use it without someone there to balance the power, I could possibly die or land myself in hospital."

"Maybe I could be your partner." I offered. "I can work as an amplifier and you can use it again. Me too, I don't want to end up in hospital if I try to use it. By doing this it will help the both of us. What do you say, should we?"

He pauses and then nods. "We can try it when this case is over. I want to try something out tomorrow morning to either break or confirm a theory of mine."

"That Kuroda is causing the spiritual side of the case? I think so too." I yawn again and I feel my eyelids drooping.

"Hey don't fall asleep yet, we are almost at your house." Naru says shaking my shoulder.

"What?" I mumble. "How did you know where I lived?"

"Lin told me. It's not far from where I am staying actually. It's just around the corner from where I am living with Lin."

"Okay then." I say barely a whisper. My eyes close slowly and my breath evens out, after a while, I fall asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Thanks for even paying attention to this story E.g the reviews, views, follows and favorites. It makes me happy. Please tell me what you like about the story, what you would change, whether you would add certain things, my writing technique, anything. I'm trying to improve my story writing skills because somewhere down the line, I want to be an author so please help me if you can :) I apologize for the quality of this chapter, I was tired...

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ghost Hunt

* * *

**Chapter five**

I awoke the next morning feeling exhausted. It was five in the morning, I was tired, hungry, mourning the death of my favorite coat and wanted a cup of tea. So I got up and loitered my way past the kitchen, debating whether I should make some tea now or get changed first. But I went to the wardrobe in the spare room where I keep my clothes - I don't want aimless things cluttering up my room where I can keep space for better things like my computers.

I search through the wardrobe and find that a lot of my clothes are getting old. They have a few rips in them, stains or are too small. I sigh. I haven't been in public for some time and when I do, I just go to the tea shop down the road where I talk with the elderly woman who works there. And even then, I'm not wearing my finest clothes that are most comfortable. I'm usually wearing a thick jumper and jeans. But they aren't as great as my shirts and black pants.

But they are gone and the clothes I wear out are in the wash. All that I have left are... _Hell no! _It's the dress that David gave me. The stupid man must of had a feeling that I had run out of clothes and got that dress just to get a rise out of me. But he couldn't have. The stranger doesn't know me. He wouldn't know.

I sigh again. I grabbed the little black dress and pick up my ankle boots. I quickly change into the stupid piece of clothing and walk past the kitchen again, suppressing the urge to put the kettle on. I take some cash from the side and my keys. Locking the door behind me, I head towards the tea shop. I love that place, they have the best tea but none can beat my own. I go early in the morning more than often or of a night because there are less people there.

The lady I talk to is very nice, sometimes she slips me some cakes into my order free and doesn't press me to pay her back one day. She talks about a lot of things, like why I should be in school or why I should dress like the teenager I am. To that I responded with a _"I am smarter than school and do you seriously want me walking around with barely anything on?" _Now I know that a lot of people do not walk around with barely anything on, especially not in Japan, but I wanted to shut her up. That's all I could think of doing. And for the record, I am smarter than school!

I walk up to the tea shop and push open the door. To my happiness, there are not a lot of people here. I see several workers cleaning tables and a group of two in the back talking quietly and drinking some tea. Now this is how I like it! I stride over to the bar stools and sit down in front of the elderly woman I speak to, Hana-san. There is a newspaper where I was sat, I pushed it aside and asked for the usual earl grey tea. Hana-san beamed down on me and fixed me up with the nice hot brew. I smiled back, taking a sip.

The hot liquid slid down my throat and the sweet scent filled the aroma. I smiled, "So how you been Hana-san?"

Hana-san was cleaning some mugs when she looked up at me for the first time that morning to get a proper look. Her mouth fell agape and then she closed it only to let it open. "Close your mouth Hana-san, you will catch flies." I say to her taking another sip.

She sends me a playful glare and I match her with one of my own. "Your wearing a dress Kotomi-san! What happened? Did someone hit you over the head?"

I chuckled and sat up straight on the stool. I sensed that there was someone else here, and they seemed awfully familiar. I tried to find out where they were but something stopped me. I gulped. They had purposely blocked me out, knowing that I was trying to find them. Damn it! Are they powerful?

"Hey Hana-san?" I inquire. "Who else is here?"

"A young man," She answers giving a quick glance over to a door behind me. "He was sat in your chair before you came, he might ask you to move or even push you off. He seems like that type of person. But he is nice nonetheless. He recently came here from England, he did. He has a ghost hunting job just like you. Maybe you two should meet and I will set you up. How about that?"

I cover up a blush by coughing and turning my head slightly. I think she is either talking about Naru or Lin. Most likely Naru, Lin doesn't seem like a big tea fan to me.

"So tell me. Are you single because this guy might be right up your alley." Hana-san says teasingly. I blush madly and then scowl. The presence is right behind me, he's right behind me and he might have heard the whole thing. _Damn you Hana-san!_

"Hey Naru." I say not bothering to turn around. I take another sip of tea and stare at Hana-san's incredulous expression. I raise an eyebrow. "Are you okay Hana-san? You seem off."

"Kotomi your in my seat, and why are you wearing a dress?" Naru said reaching for the newspaper that was in front of me. I turn in the stool to look at him but I slipped off the seat and into someone's arms. Naru's arms. I couldn't stop the stupid red color that was spreading across my skin. Naru's arms tightened around me just as I thought I would be lying on the floor with a banged up head. But he stood me back up and sat in my chair.

Growling, I sat next to him. "You didn't have to take my seat you know."

"I was sat here before you came, every morning I sit here actually." He said. "Ever since I have moved here."

"I've been sitting in that seat ever since _I_ moved here, every morning and sometimes the evening." I said. "Since January might I add."

"There are plenty of seats Kotomi. Use your eyes." He said opening his newspaper.

I cursed under my breath and sat on the chair to his right and grabbed my tea cup, raised it to my lips and stopped. There was no tea in there. Sulking, I slammed the cup on the counter and strummed my fingers _ever so lightly. _"If you want more tea you could just ask," Hana-san said laughing at me.

I scowled. She knows that I am not one to ask for other people's help, whether that be making tea or not. "She's always like that Ms Hana," Naru said flipping to the next page in his newspaper. "Never asking, just demanding. Sometimes it is such a pain."

"What do you mean I am always like that? We met yesterday morning for goodness sake and if anyone is demanding things all the time, it's you!" I said rasing my voice.

"Calm down poppet. He's only teasing you." Hana-san said resting my cup in front of me. I immediately grab it and gulp down as much as I can. _Ah, that's what I needed._

"Teasing? Yer right!" I said. "I think that is all he ever does to me. Right Naru? Always trying to get a rise out of me... There is more to life than teasing, tea and ghost hunting you know. Maybe you should go on holiday or something. Take a trip to another country or even to the countryside. It's nice there."

"Um Kotomi, I am on a holiday. I'm in Japan aren't I? I was in England a while a go, wasn't I? You need to start paying attention."

Growling, I push my tea cup back over to Hana-san and demand for more. "Manners these days..." She muttered.

From the corner of my eye, I watched as Naru took out his phone and looked at a message he had just received. He smirked and passed the phone to me. Curious, I made a grab for the phone and shivered as our fingers touched. A small bolt of electricity ran through my hand and down my spine. _Well that was odd!_

I looked down at the message. It was from Lin. I smiled as I read the text, no wonder Naru had this handsome smirk on his face. The text message read: Help me. Come quick and bring Kotomi with you... quickly. Show her this 'Jiēdài yuán zàicì tiáoqíng kuài shànglái'.

I laughed. That end part that Lin wrote in Chinese roughly translated into _receptionist flirting again come quickly. _

"Come on then Naru," I say taking another swig of some tea. "Lin is in desperate need of an escape route and quickly!"

The two of us said our goodbye to Hana-san and left for a taxi to the hospital. We hurried to collect Lin from the hospital but it seems that the receptionist was reluctant to let the poor guy go. I feel very sorry for him. No wonder he was in a panic earlier when he text Naru. The receptionist is a handful at most. The three of us climbed into the taxi that was driving us back to the school. It was an awkward drive back, I'll tell you that.

"So," Lin began. "Anything interesting happen this morning?"

"No really." Naru replied giving me a quick glance. I felt a little uncomfortable sat in the middle of the two. They weren't very talkative or even sociable for that matter. I found it hard to talk without getting a curt nod or short sentence in return. I usually like the quiet but being in a taxi with the two quietest people pon earth is not a nice thing to deal with. It was rather awkward and starting to drive me insane.

"How have you been lately, Lin?" I said trying to break the tension.

"Good." He said. It didn't look like he was going to say anymore, so I glared at him. He got the message soon enough. "Well as you know I was babysitting, we moved to Japan for reasons and opened up Shibuya Psychic Research. We got that case at the school. An idiot girl broke my leg. I went into hospital. I was harassed by a receptionist. I was released from the hospital. I got in a taxi. I am sitting in a taxi. I am waiting to get out of that taxi. I-"

"Okay Lin. I get it, I get it. You loath taxi's! It's nothing to be ashamed of, really. But I do think that is unfair to the driver that has so graciously provided us with his services. It's not like you to be especially rude. Did something happen, Lin? Did your father yell at you again? Is that what's bothering you?"

"Actually," Naru began. "Lin is always like that to people. It never gets old though. Watching people's reactions amuses Lin. Strange as it sounds..."

"That sounds about right." I chime in, ignoring Lin's hard glare. "I remember one time when we were in China and we visited a temple and just because Lin didn't get the best view he walked around for the rest of the day sulking. What a guy! You know, I think he just missed the babysitting gig he had."

"Of course. Who wouldn't miss me?" Naru asked and he held a hand up to silence me before I could jump in and say something to that. "Everyone loves me. I don't think I have ever met a person not like me. A part from you that is, Kotomi. But you will soon change your mind. In the end you will love me, I'm sure."

"Oh really?" I say suppressing a laugh... _and _a blush. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. I'm not one to love easily. You'll have to work for it."

"We'll see Kotomi, we'll see." He said as the taxi came to a stop. The doors unlocked and we stepped out. I helped Lin into his crutches and helped him onto the school grounds, Naru following shortly behind. We made it in just as a few students walked through the grounds, going about their lives.

"Here's the plan," Naru said as we approached the black van containing SPR's equipment. "We're going to use a hypnotism technique to see whether a female or male candidate is the one causing the paranormal activity. We will have everyone that was involved with the case, have this done. Understand?"

Lin and I nodded. I understand. I understood perfectly. And I agree with Naru. There is something supernatural going on here, but the main cause of things is actually land subsidence. But I bet one thousand yen that the spiritual side of things was caused by none other than, Kuroda. She seems like the type of person to be behind this. I just have this nagging feeling about it.

Naru and I left Lin inside the van as we walked into the old school house. We searched for bits of wood, and paper to use for our... experiment. I grabbed the chair from up the stairs and dragged in into one of the spare rooms, juggling the chair in one hand and the hammer and nails in the other. I grabbed a piece of chalk and left it in the room. Now that most of the preparation was done, we just had to start the science side of things. And with that, we headed to the office in the main school.

"Don't explain anything to them," Naru said as we reached the door. "It could prevent us from finding out who is behind it."

"I know, I know!" I said waving one hand in the air. "I have my suspicions of who it is anyway. Kuroda seems like a very high candidate, don't you think?"

"I do," He nodded. "But we need the evidence to back it up before we can go jumping into conclusions."

I rapped on the door and gently pushed it open. The Principal was stood behind his desk, there were several chairs in front of the desk with some occupied. Hara-san, Monk, John and Matsuzaki-san were sat rather quietly. I was surprised to see that Monk and Matsuzaki-san weren't bickering. But maybe the Principal's presence just scared them or was too intimidating for them to even mutter a few words to one another. Or maybe they wanted to be nice to each- nahh!

"Can Mai and Kuroda please come to my office for some urgent business. I repeat, can Mai and Kuroda come to my office for some urgent business?" The principal said into the intercom on his desk. And soon enough, the two girls were sat in the seats next to the other three. We began our experiment.

Naru and I stood beside the Principal. I drew the curtains closed and switched off the lights. Naru started talking as he turned the red light on and off. "I want you to match your breathing to the red light. Concentrate on nothing but the light. Match your breathing. Tomorrow, the chair at the old school house will move."

Naru turned the red light off as the Principal opened the curtains and I flicked on the normal lights. The six people sat in the chairs yawned, rubbed their eyes and stood up. I smirked slightly. They all look so vulnerable right now, I wish I had a camera. This way, I could have proof when I decided to tease them...

"I want you all in the old school house now, so that we can finish up on the work. Be there in five minutes, no more, no less." Naru said.

Naru and I left the others in a daze as we went back to Lin who was leaning against the black van. I chuckled at him. He was glancing at his watch, a bored yet impatient expression on his face. He wasn't enjoying himself all that much. I hope he wasn't going to try anything too drastic.

"You alright there Lin?" I said as I leaned next to him. He huffed but tried to cover it up with a cough. I inwardly smiled. _Lin was too easy!_

"Fine." He said in a cold tone. I suppressed a laugh.

"Anyway, when the others get here-" Naru began but was interrupted by a sudden loud laugh and a lot of loud voices. I sighed. It was the others. John, Hara-san, Monk, Matsuzaki-san, Kuroda and Mai. Gee, were they oh so loud! I'm surprised that I am not tone death by now.

"Oh no." I heard Mai say. "His real assistant is here."

My eyes flicker her way before I turned to Lin. He was as stoic as ever but there was this certain coldness running through his eyes. Wow, he must really hate her with a passion. Eh? Probably. Lin doesn't really like Japanese people as it is, so when someone goes and gets him trapped under a book case... Well, I say you should go into hiding for maybe three or four years until the man has calmed down. But Mai, she's not so lucky. She gets to feel Lin's wrath first hand!

"Right, everyone inside." Naru said. "We are going to complete an experiment Kotomi and I started earlier."

Everyone bar Naru, Lin, Mai and I made a move inside. The silence was deafening. I was expecting Lin to explode with anger like white on rice. But he stood calmly waiting for Mai to speak. Of course, that is if she were to actually speak. She's just stood there trying to string together some words to say.

"Um, I... How's your leg?" She finally said.

"Fine, thank you." He said in a cold tone. He didn't spare her a glance instead he asked me to help him inside.

"Er, I can help!" She said trying to hide the hurt in her voice.

"You've done enough." He snapped. I let a smirk trace my lips before I helped the cranky man inside. I didn't blame him, not really. She was the one that almost destroyed a very expensive camera, got a poor man injured and replaced him in his very own job. Sure, the camera is probably insured but it's still someone's personal belonging. Just like Lin. He was Naru's personal belonging, (not to make Lin sound like an object or anything) it's not nice when your toys are broken.

"Stop standing there and get to work." Naru said to Mai as he followed us inside. I peered back to get a look at Mai's outraged face. She was mumbling to herself, something she does a lot. I think I heard the words 'narcissist' and 'jerk' a few times. Gee, Naru's got his work cut out for him if he is employing her.

The four of us arrived by the room where I had put the chair and other necessary materials for the experiment. I watched as the group was eying it suspiciously. They were probably wondering what the hell it had to do with what they had experienced in the principal's office. I would too. If I was uneducated like the rest of them. As the great Oliver Davis had once said, "Paranormal research is so difficult to study that it must be treated, first and foremost, as science in order to gain credibility."

It just shows that the other current members of the group have no idea of the science side of things, especially Mai. She was most useless, in my opinion. She may very well be a student who is studying science, but she is so dense and most likely doesn't pay attention in class. Does she was to spend her life like a goldfish? Forgetting everything every five or so seconds? I think not, but she certainly proves that wrong.

"What's all this?" Mai asks walking over to inspect it. She put a finger to her bottom lip in thought.

"That," Naru said. "Is none of your concern."

I smirked. _Way to get Mai on edge Naru, _I thought, _knock her confidence down even lower. Come on, you can do it! _Mai huffed and stepped away from the materials. She was annoyed. I can't explain how nice it is to see her annoyed. I must make a note about teasing her. Her reactions are rather hilarious.

"Watch what we do. Understand?" Naru said as everyone nodded. "Kotomi?"

I nodded, grabbed the chalk and went over to the chair. Drawing a big circle around it, I stepped back to examine my work. It was a perfect circle. No odd lines. No misshaped circle. Not too big. Not too small. It was just how we need it for the experiment to take place. I walked back over to Naru and handed him a hammer and nails. I grabbed some wood and held it against the wall. He put one nail down and started to secure it into the wall.

The others, getting the idea, brabbed soem more wood and nails and headed further down the wall. Soon enough, it was all covered and you could barely tell there was even a room behind it. Now, just for the next step. I took a hold of two marker pens and handed them to John and Mai, telling them to sign their names. They did as asked. Naru stuck one last piece of paper over the wood and then asked them to sign one last time.

The experiment was over, nearly. Just one more thing but that had to wait until morning.

"You guys did okay today," I said. "There was no huffing and puffing for once."

They all growled a little - apart from Hara-san, she was too much of a lady to growl - but soon they were grinning madly like they had won the lotto. I raised an eyebrow at their odd behavior. _People... _I would never ever understand them! Not in this lifetime any way. The were all like wild animals!

"You are free to leave for the day, we can do no more now. See you tomorrow." Naru said in an emotionless voice.

The others whooped and went on their way. And then there were three. Naru, Lin and I. We gave a curt nod before saying goodbye. I left them to attend to their own business. Packing most of the equipment most likely and Lin giving Naru a quick lecture on his manners and stupid little things like that. I didn't dare admit it, but when I leave their company, I will miss it an awful lot. Naru especially. Yet again, please don't tell him that. I would hate for him to get cocky.

I left school grounds and went to head home. But not before making a quick pit stop at Hana-san's tea shop!


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Hope you enjoyed the last chapter. I apologize for not making much of an effort to upload sooner and about the quality of the last chapter. Thanks to anyone that reviews, views, follows or favorites. They make me smile after a long tiring day. I have the next week off school so I will be updating a lot more. But please remind me if I take at least a week to upload the next chapter because I will get lazy otherwise and might not write for some time. _Sorry..._

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ghost Hunt

* * *

**Chapter six**

_**"The art of tea is a spiritual force for us to share." - Alexandra Stoddard**_

* * *

_I was watching the early morning rise. Alone. On top of the roof in my new home in Scotland. I had turned nine just one month ago, the second year anniversary of my mother's death. The woman next door had moved me in with her, since I had refused to get put up for adoption and as far as I knew, I was an orphan. So there was no family elsewhere I could go to. I knew that. But others didn't. I was planning on running away. That's what I was going to do._

_As soon as I had gathered enough money and was a few years older, I would be leaving for another country away from all the mayhem. I was tired and homesick. When I told the woman who was living with me that, she asked me why I felt homesick. Of course, I was already at home so I shouldn't feel that way. But I was homesick, I was sick of home. I had to get away. So I told her that I wouldn't be there forever in Scotland, but I told her to stay living in the house just in case I was ever going to come calling back. She had promised to phone me every few years, when I actually did run away._

_I smiled at her. My first smile that had touched my face in a long long time. I felt a little happy but sad too. I would leave the very woman that felt like a mother to me, she was more of my mother than the one that had died on my birthday. It was her own fault that she was gone. She was the one that had tried to have a seance to see whether or not my 'dad' was alive or not. She insisted that she used candles for effect and guess what happend. The whole house blew up in flames and she died just because she was a desperate old hag that wanted to speak to my 'dad' one last time._

_I resented her for it, destroying the house and taking her life with it. So I had to move to the house next door, live with a group of strangers I barely even knew and attempt to continue living life as I normally would. Alone without a soul to play with. I didn't try to make friends with anyone, not the family's youngest child or anyone is the neighborhood. Instead, I trained these new found powers of mine._

_I researched them a lot too, found out I had this thing called PK along with a bunch of other things. But the family's youngest, Tom age 10, didn't believe me at all. We got into fights, we did, about these sorts of things. And then one day, just last week, he challenged me about my PK. He said they weren't real. That I was off my head and living in a fairy tale. So I used them to freak him out. But I went one step to far. I became so agitated that he had to get help. Special help that he would have to have for many years to come. But I wasn't sorry. Not at all.  
_

_Not until he went to kill himself one day. He went to jump out of the window. I used my PK to keep him afloat in the air and that freaked him out even more. He started to squirm and move around until I had lost my spiritual grip on him. And just as my new mother figure had walked up the stairs to see what all the commotion was, I lost my grip completely. And poor little Tom fell to the bottom of a tall house. And he bled to death. The memories still haunted me even this week later. The look on his face as he reached the bottom. The look on Mother's face as she had the situation confused. As she thought I had purposely dropped him out of the window. As I watched as her eldest child, Will, yell and yell at me with anger and sadness. The accusing looks I got whenever I entered and left a room to get a drink or read a book._

_I knew it was my fault he was dead, and they all knew it more than me. I tried to bury the fact that it was I who had done it. Drove him to that point where he couldn't take no more. The gulit was driving me up the wall. I felt so sad and helpless. But I can't have felt worse than the family that had took me in. They had raised a killer, in their eyes. A young orphan child that had eyes for blood and the urge to kill. _

_It was only supposed to be a game. A game for poor little Tom to take main role in. He was only meant to see that my powers were real. He wasn't supposed to go insane. He wasn't supposed to die. It was only a game. Just a game..._

* * *

I woke up seven in the morning. Beads of sweat dribbling from forehead and neck, soaking my tee shirt. Their were tear tracks trailing down my cheeks and my throat felt really dry. I needed some tea. That's what my mother figure had said to me once. "A cup of tea a day will keep your worries away." What a laugh, but the sad thing was, it worked so very well. And I had a cuppa all the time.

I just had that many worries and haunted memories to deal with on a daily basis. Sometimes, it was just too much to deal with.

Moving quickly, I went to the kitchen and put the kettle on. I needed something to wash away my worries. There was no way in hell I was going to drink some alcohol, do you _know _what it does to you? It's like a poison, an addictive poison! But tea will have to do for me today. Anyway, it's not like tea wasn't addictive. I could sit there for hours drinking tea and reading a nice long book. But as C S Lewis once said, "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." And I stand by those words a lot. There are so many short books and small tea cups.

The kettle squealed and I poured myself a cup, adding two spoonfuls of sugar and some milk. Tea wasn't complete without at least two spoonfuls of sugar, it was too bittersweet then. But I can manage a lot of different types of tea. Like green, earl grey, honey and the like.

I took the cup in my hands and slowly drank, letting the nice hot liquid trail down my throat. I sighed in relief. My throat wasn't as dry any more and I felt almost as good as knew. But the thing was, I wasn't. I had big dark circles under my eyes, I was slightly paler and was overly tired. I can't even remember the last time I had a full five hours sleep, never mind the average eight or nine.

I placed the cup down on the counter next to the kettle and went to my room to get changed out of my tee shirt and bottoms. I rummaged through my wardrobe selection and sighed. The news had said it was going to be hot today so I had to wear skin revealing clothes so that I didn't sweat all day long. My god, it was going to be a long day full of goodbyes and useless stuff like that. I didn't want to see the team of supernatural experts again and Naru was making it harder for me. After over hearing his conversation with Lin the other day, it turns out he wants to train powers with me. Of course I wanted to but I just wanted a break from it all. Just a short break.

I was growing tired of the ghost hunting but yet, I couldn't stay away. Not in one million years could I have a normal life away form the paranormal crap. It was destined to be that way and destiny had a funny way of showing it. Getting people killed, giving me powers, making me stumble across a group of bloody ghost hunters, Oliver Davis and Hara Masako for god's sake! What did I do to you destiny? Ay? What did I do?

I pulled on some three quarter length pants and a short sleeved navy tee shirt. A t least I was in my usual colors. No way was I going in pink or whatever nonsense people now a days where out and about. Pink shouldn't be a color at all. It was too weird and I don't understand why people like the daft color to be perfectly honest with yeh.

Grabbing my set of keys and a spare bobble from the side, I tied my hair back and locked the door. Sighing, I started to make my way back to the school Mai attends. Gee, I really didn't want to see them. I wish I could just drop off the face of the earth so that no one would be in pain again due to me. It wasn't nice seeing people hurt because of oneself. It was a horrible feeling.

Soon enough, I made it to the old school house and saw everyone crowded around the monitors in base. I knocked on the door lightly as I walked into the room. All eyes turned to me but not many had looks of recognition. I raised a brow, confused. Was there something on my face?

"Um, who are you?" Monk said walking forward a few steps. I frowned. _Who am I?_

"Monk, it's Minami Kotomi. Did you get hit on the head on your way over here? I was working with you yesterday and the day before. Does it ring any bells?"

His eyes sparkled slightly as he looked me up and down. "Kotomi?! You look so different! I didn't recognize you there, sorry."

"No worries," I said. "Anyway, should we go check up on that room? See whether anything has happened?"

"Right." Naru said walking past me and bumping into my shoulder slightly. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks so I quickly turned and followed before anyone could see. _No good, not good Astrid, _I scolded myself. No, no it wasn't good. If I was developing fe... feel... f-eeling for the guy then I was in deep crap. I was wanting to leave the group and never speak to them. Now it will only be harder.

The rest of the group followed mindlessly. Lin last to arrive, we started pulling away all of the wood and paper to reveal a room with a white circle of chalk and a knocked over chair. I smiled in victory. It had worked. The experiment had done its job, now we had to do ours.

"W-what happened?! No one had gotten in and no one could have gotten out! Explain this to me." Mai said waving her arms about.

I felt myself becoming irritated slightly. Gee, this girl needs a proper education. _Seriously! _Naru coughed, making her be quiet. "The case is finished, we have our answer. You can help pack away the equipment without getting a scratch on it or you can just go ahead and leave. No one cares either way."

"What does this even mean?!" Mai wailed. I was so close to hitting her and her aura of stupidity.

"The building was falling apart due to land subsidence, as we have clarified earlier-" Naru started.

"You can't tell me that all of it is to do with land subsidence..." Monk said but stopped when he met Naru's calm but scary glare.

"As I was saying," He said. "The building falling apart was because of the land subsidence. But the spiritual side of things was because of a certain someone who is a latent psychic. She is in this room and was doing it subconsciously. She wanted to reach out to people and so she tld ghost stories and claimed that the old school house was haunted by the spirits of world war two. And because she did that, something else stirred up and was haunting the place. That is what really happened."

We all turned to Kuroda who was stood there blubbering and trying to piece together a sentence. "Y-you mean i-it was me who was in fault this whole time?"

Naru nodded and closed the black book of his with a ghost of a smile on his face. "But I think that Ms Kuroda has suffered enough recently. So to save any more trouble we will say that it was indeed the spirits of the second world war and that the building will fall sown within the week. With that said and done, do you have any questions?"

"Yes," Matsuzaki-san said. "Who locked me in that room? Who deleted the video and who attacked Kuroda?"

"That should be fairly obvious Ms Matsuzaki."

"Why what do you mean?" She said.

"It was Kuroda who locked in you in the room and deleted the video." Naru said as Matsuzaki-san was bubbling wit anger. She turned to her and started to call her names when Naru continued speaking. "But she wouldn't have locked you in the room if you hadn't of attacked her on the landing."

Kuroda and Matsuzaki-san shared a glance before turning away ever so quickly. Monk cleared his throat, "All well and good that being sorted out. But who will take credit?"

_Oh, Monk. It shouldn't be about credit! _"Let's say it was evenly distributed." Naru answered standing up.

"Ohh," Mai whined. "I guess my dream is over now."

"What do you mean, Mai?"

"The idea of it-"

"Whatever, I don't care to hear it. Kotomi, come help me pack up." Naru said. I smirked and followed him over to the monitors. I started to unplug them and hand them over to Naru. Who put them in one hand and reached for some more. We started to make our way outside when I suddenly caught Lin's gaze. He was uncomfortable being where he was but he had amusement dancing through his eyes as he watches us. I started to get a little paranoid. What the hell was that bloody man planning?! I had no idea and I would very much like to know what he has planned before he does it.

"Naru." I said as soon as we got outside to the van. "I think Lin is up to something."

"How so?"

"Well whenever he looks at us he has this weird... You know what forget it. Just ignore that last part I told you." I said trying to hide my embarrassment as I had just worked out what Lin was trying to say. I felt the blush starting to rush to my cheeks and I was inwardly panicking.

"Whatever you say, but I'm interested now." Naru said taking the last monitor out of my hands. His finger tips brushed against my hand and a bolt of electricity jolted through me. I didn't know whether it was some of his PK or not, but it felt... _nice?_

"What do you plan to do after this?" I ask him as I close the boot of the van. I see him shrug.

"I don't know." He says. "I'll probably continue searching for him through SPR. Luella rang me last night, she told me to invite Mai to be a permanent worked at the fake branch I made up. She told me that she might be able to help in some way. I don't really remember much of the phone call. I usually drone out when she starts talking."

"At least you have a mother to drone out." I mumbled, but he had heard. "Didn't you get adopted?" He asked quietly.

I shake my head, "No I refused to be legally adopted. But m-my neighbor took me in and t-things happened between us."

"What things?" He said so quietly that I barely even heard him. But the tears brimmed in my eyes as I remembered the nightmare from this morning. And what happened all those years ago. I hope they were doing fine now and had stopped hating me. That's all I wished, that's all I wanted.

I sniffed, "Let's just say that the son and I had a falling out and something happened to him."

I thought I saw something in Naru's eyes as our gazes met, but it went away so quickly. Maybe he misunderstood what I was trying to say. Maybe he thought that we had a thing going on or something. But if he thought that, then he was so far from the truth. The truth that pained me so much.

"Whatever happened will be okay," He said even more so quietly that it wasn't even a whisper. I wanted to nod my head and agree but I found myself shaking my head. No, it will never be okay. I was planning on going back to the town I grew up one day, to see how it had turned out. I was planning on going before I went to Japan, but there was one thing stopping me. The guilt.

What if I ran into the family again? What if they still hated me and wanted revenge or something? What if we all broke down again in seeing each other? I didn't want that to happen. I didn't want someone else hurt because of me. The tears were so close to falling now, I felt so fragile. I hated feeling like this. I could brake at any damn moment.

I felt a hand on each of my shoulders and I looked up to see Naru with a soft look in his eyes, but his face was the same. Emotionless. But that small act of kindness put a little smile on my face. He was trying to comfort me. I know it is probably quite difficult for a narcissist to show or do acts of kindness to someone else because each time it does, they don't feel right or whatever. But when this narcissist did, I felt happy.

"Thanks Naru," I mutter wiping away a stray tear. He removed his hands and gave me something that warmed my cheeks. A real smile.

"Come on then," He said. "Let's get back inside and finish the job. We still need to tell the principal."

I nodded and we went back inside to kick the others out and collect Lin from doing something too drastic. I couldn't help but smile at that thought. Not because I wanted Lin to do something 'drastic' but it just made me smile in the fact that Lin was going out of his way to do when it wasn't anything to do with ghosts or Naru. Hehe.

"Alright, let's clear out. You can all go now. Lin, Kotomi and I will take care of the rest." Naru said.

They started to make thier way out but I stopped John and asked him for his phone number. He quickly gave me his and I passed over mine. The two of us, John and I, were going to go on a case together sometime soon. And I wanted to keep in touch with him anyway. This was the best way I could think of, I didn't know where John was staying or whatever.

I said one last goodbye and turned to Naru and Lin who were looking at me with their eyebrows raised.

"John and I are going to ghost hunt together sometime soon." I said. "Give the kid some experience, you know what I mean?"

They nodded, and then Lin suddenly smirked. "Hey Astrid? How about you join Noll and I in SPR? We could use the help."

"Actually Lin," I said with a crooked smile. "I was planning on losing all contact with you all. Thanks for the offer, but I'll decline... for now."

"Why did you give John your number then if you were planning on losing _all _contact?" Naru said raising an eyebrow.

"Someone jealous, are they?" I said in a teasing tone. "Well, if it makes you feel better. Here, have my phone number. Get in touch sometime soon, eh? I know you want to train with me. If I say yes, will you let me help you find Gene and go back to England with you?"

I don't know what came over me but I had said those words. I was expecting him to shoot me down and tell me to mind my own business. But he grinned at me and said deal. We shook hands and then I felt that familiar electric bolt shoot through my arm. It made me feel tingly and warm.

"Oh, you defiantly need training. I feel your PK every time we touch." I said with a hint of a smirk.

"Every time we touch?" Lin asked smiling mischievously. _Oh lord! What have I just gotten myself into?!_

"Shut up Lin." Naru and I said simultaneously. We shared a look and I felt like grinning at Naru's face. He wasn't impressed at all.

"Come on then," Lin said ignoring Naru's glare. "I'll go tell the principal that we have finished the case. You two go get in the van. We'll all go to my flat for a cup of tea. How about that? I know the two of you both love tea. I could do with a cup of earl grey myself."

This time, I did grin. The feeling was mutual too. As I looked over at the two men, they both had smirks or smiles on their faces. Naru and I left Lin to go and report back to the principal and settled ourselves up front in the van. We were quiet, but it was a comfortable silence. None of us had the urge to fill it. It was just nice.

Soon enough, Lin came waddling back with a wad of cash in his hands and a smirk on his face. _Looks like he got the money then, I wonder how much is there._ I opened the door for Lin and he climbed up and handed me the money. "Split it between the three of us, Astrid. You deserve the money anyways."

I smirked myself and began counting out the money as the van roared to life and we started to drive away. There was over one thousand yen in my hands and I like the feeling. Oh, a girl could get used to this! I kept slightly over half of the profit and gave the rest of the money to Naru since it was _his _company that was hired. He smirked as he made a grab for the money and raised and eyebrow at how much I was holding.

Gee, this was going to be a long ride.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Thanks to anyone that reviews, views, follows or favorites. It's nice to know that there are people even bothering to take a look at the story. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter, please feel free to give me any suggestions, corrections or additions you would like to see me add or change to my story :) By the way, Naru might be a little OOC but that is the plan. I wonder if any of you see what I'm trying to pull off.

**Disclaimer: **To my dismay, I will never own Ghost Hunt

* * *

**Chapter seven**

_**"You know you are a ghost hunter when the spirits know your name..."**_

* * *

I smirked myself and began counting out the money as the van roared to life and we started to drive away. There was over one thousand yen in my hands and I like the feeling. Oh, a girl could get used to this! I kept slightly over half of the profit and gave the rest of the money to Naru since it was _his _company that was hired. He smirked as he made a grab for the money and raised and eyebrow at how much I was holding.

Gee, this was going to be a long ride.

We arrived at Lin's apartment quicker than expected. It was right next door to Naru's apartment and the next street over from my house. We all lived rather close, really. It's nice to know that, it will come in handy whenever there is an accident of sorts. Naru... and _Lin _will be around the corner in case of an emergancy or when they don't bother to give me my pay check. That's right, my pay check! I've decided that I will join them in working with SPR. Now all I need to do is tell them that is what I have decided to do.

The three of us climb out of the van and wait outside the apartment, while Lin unlocks the door and pushes it open. The smell of tea filled the air and I felt myself wanting a cup. I walked inside and scanned the living room. It was a very cosy place, especially for a guy like Lin. He was the type of person that need or rather wanted space to keep all of their belongings. And by space, I mean plenty of it.

"This isn't like you Lin," I said heading into the kitchen. "You like lots of space. Why did you get somewhere small?"

Lin sighed and answered. "I needed somewhere we could live temporary, that wasn't expensive and was also next to an empty apartment. And this one was one of the options. I also had to make sure it was relatively close to our new office so that we weren't paying for traveling. It is just a shame that it is small."

I nod showing that I had heard him and then I went into the kitchen to make three cups of earl grey tea, my absolute favorite. I rummaged through the cupboards and finally came across some mugs and then I continued until I had found the tea bags, sugar and milk. I quickly brewed the tea and brought it out to the others who were waiting patiently.

"Thanks," Naru said as I handed him the cup. Lin and I just shared a glance and shrugged. _I wonder why he was using manners..._

I passed Lin his cup and he nodded in thanks. We all took a sip and sat there quietly before someone spoke. It was Lin. And he just had to ask me a personal question, didn't he?! "So Astrid, how long are you planning to stay in Japan for? I assume for a while obviously. You always stay half a year in one place."

"I don't know Lin." I said. "I was planning on going back to Scotland soon though to see how they're getting on. I hope they have gotten over it... But then I wanted to explore England, you know? I haven't been anywhere in that country yet and thought I could do it pretty soon. That sounds like a plan, eh?"

Lin nodded with a hint of a smile on his face. "How about you come back to London with Noll and I when we leave SPR? I think you'll like it there. Lot's of supernatural activity going on."

I sighed a little. "I'll see when the time comes Lin. And please don't try and bribe me with supernatural activity. You know I can't stay away."

Lin chuckled and then it was Naru's turn to ask some questions. "I think that will be good." He said. "You can come stay with Luella and Martin for a while until you want to move again and you can go explore London. I forgot to ask earlier, but did you say whether you were going to join SPR?"

"Ah, you know what? I think I will." I smile. "It sounds like fun. Have you got any cases on wait? I have a few if you want them."

"That's sounds great, Astrid." Lin said. "Show her the files Noll."

Naru gets up and walks over to the small table in the corner of the room that had Lin's laptop on and a small pile of paper. He grabbed the laptop and sat back down on the couch. He switched it on and pulled up one of the documents. He scrolled down the page until he stopped near the bottom. "This," He said. "Is one of the cases that had caught our interest. It is based on a ghost story in the area but people have claimed that it is really happening. Care to take a look?"

I grabbed the laptop from him and settled it down on my knees, starting to read.

_Something was going on. Jason felt it in his bones. Polly was too happy, too cheerful. No woman could be that upbeat and still be faithful to her husband. Jason sat down to a delicious, warm meal every night, and Polly sang to herself as she washed up. What kind of woman could be cheerful doing dishes? Try as he might, Jason never heard anything that hinted of a secret romance. It drove him crazy. Life was not this perfect._

_Maybe Polly was seeing the milkman, or the grocer. Jason started getting up early in order to see who it was that delivered the milk. Much to his disappointment, the fellow looked as if he'd been born several centuries ago. Then Jason started doing the food shopping, and checked out every single male employee in the local grocery store. They were either antediluvian relicts—like the milkman—or still in diapers._

_Later that month Jason was over at his father-in-law's house working in the garage when he over heard his father-in-law call to Hank…Polly's high-school boyfriend. Now he knew! He knew why Polly was so happy all the time. Her parents must have told her that Hank was coming home, and she was planning on running off with him._

_Enraged with jealousy, Jason was waiting in the kitchen when Polly got back from church. He was beyond reason. He snatched up a newly sharpened steak knife, howling: "You've cut out my heart, now I'll cut out yours!" Jason leapt around the table and ripped Polly's still-beating heart out of her chest. Blood streaming everywhere, he sailed out the back door into the dark night and flung her heart, still thumping, over the side of the bridge that spanned the creek next to their home._

_Jason cleaned up the blood-stained house with extreme care and buried Polly's body deep in the woods outside of town. Then he wrote several letters, carefully mimicking Polly's handwriting, and mailed them to himself and her parents. Within a few days, everyone in town believed that Polly had been secretly seeing a man from the next town and that they had run away together._

_Late one evening, he went out to the bridge to gloat in triumph over his unfaithful wife. Polly had gotten what she deserved, he thought. As he stood staring down at the water, he became aware of a vibration under his feet. Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum. It floated softly through the air, a simple rhythmic thudding. Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum. Jason's hands began to tingle as he recognized the soft thudding sound. It was the same beat he had felt when he held Polly's bleeding heart in his hands. Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum. _

_The heartbeat rang in his ears, thundering so loud that he was afraid it would wake the neighbors. Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum. Jason clapped his hands over his ears and ran back to the house. But he could not escape the terrible sound: Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum. Even the floorboards seemed to vibrate to the slow, steady rhythm. Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum. It sounded like a heart-beat. Polly's heartbeat. Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum._

_Jason screamed in terror and flung himself out of the house, running toward the bridge as the heartbeat grew louder and louder in his ears. Jason leaned over the railing._

_"Curse you, Polly!" he shouted._

_Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum. _

_With a wild shriek, Jason flung himself headfirst off the bridge like a diver, and was smashed to death on the rocks below. _

_Underfoot on the bridge, the pavement still vibrates to the beat of a dead heart. For now and always._

_Da-dum. Da-dum. Da-dum._

I wanted to slap this Jason person for his stupidity. I know that I don't really like or understand people, but killing her just because she was happy all of the time? That was just plain wrong and I hope that guy suffers a lot while he is down there in hell. He needs it.

"See what I mean?" Naru asks. "It's interesting and I think it will make a great case. Regardless or whether it is real or not, we still get paid."

I laugh and ask him what people have thought they saw. He replies, "People say that they have heard the heart beat whenever they pass by this certain bridge where Jason had killed his girlfriend Polly. Other people have claimed that they thought they saw a man cursing Polly but then when they looked again, the man was gone. But no one had been able to provide hard core evidence. And that is why SPR has been asked to help solve the case. But since there are only the three of us and Lin is still recovering, I suppose we could ask the monk and miko to join us."

"Sounds great," I say yawning. "We could ask John too. If Hara-san hasn't got a busy scheduled then we could see if she could come. And I know that your mother told you to employ Mai. I guess we could let her tag along too. She needs a decent education so this will do her good, I suppose. When are you planning on starting the case?"

"That depends when everyone is free." He said rubbing the back of his neck. "We can do it any time. I told the client that it would be any time in the upcoming week that we would arrive. So we will just have to go then. Lin, call up the others later today and ask them, would you? Astrid and I have business to attend to."

"We do?" I say trying to remember when I agreed to anything he had said. Remembering nothing, I raised an eyebrow elegantly.

"You agreed to train with me. And I have nothing planned this afternoon so I think now would be the best time to start, don't you agree? It will benefit the both of us and what if there comes a time when we need to use our PK and we are getting a little rusty? What happens then? We end up in the hospital. I'd rather not go back there, and I imagine you don't either."

A shiver runs down my spine as I remember my last visit to the hospital when David, my _dad_, had asked me to be his daughter again. Yep, I defiantly do not want to go back there because I haven't been using my PK properly. For once, I think I am eager to spend time with a narcissist. My narcissist? Wait what?" '_My__' _narcissist? Gee, I need to see a doctor.

"Fine, fine." I say. "I'll train with you today. But be prepared. It's a physical warm up before we get onto the mental stuff."

I see him smirk, "That's no problem. We ghost hunters have to keep fit, do we not?"

I laugh at the smugness in his voice and then stand up. "Come on then," I say smiling slightly. "Let's go for a jog."

He groans and stands up. We bid Lin a goodbye and leave the apartment. We walk to the park nearby before we start running. Nice idea. We don't want to be overly tired before we even start to train properly with each other. That would just be useless and a huge waste of time. No use in doing that.

I start to jog when we reach one bench and Naru comes up beside me, copying me. We jog for a bit before anyone says anything. "What do you do in your spare time, Astrid?" Naru asks me so suddenly that I almost trip over my feet. "I mean, what type of things? Surely you don't sit around all day drinking tea and reading books and such."

His tone held something to it, I think it was him trying to tease me. I scowled at him. "You know well and truly that it was I most likely do, being the anti social person I am. And that is exactly what I do, Naru. Read and drink tea. Sometimes I try to catch up on some sleep but that never works. So, what do _you _do Naru? Play chess?"

I thought I saw him smile for a second there but dismissed it. "No," He said. "I don't play chess. Gene used to try and get me to play though. I wasn't having any of it. Now though, I am constantly working or drinking tea. I hardly have time to read leisurely because I am always reading maps and such. I've been trying to look for Gene by finding lakes in Japan. That's where he is, in the bottom of some lake."

He was starting to become depressed and honestly, I don't know how to deal with that. So instead, I grabbed him by the elbow and broke out in a run. Shouting back at him that I would meet him at my house to continue training. He smirked and started to run too.

We raced back and we both made it to my front door neck and neck. It was a close match. I took out my key from my pants pocket and unlocked the door, it was just like I had left it. Great, another Russian-spy-free day! I smiled inwardly at that thought.

"Come in Naru," I said as I watched him stand there in the door way. "We can have some herbal tea and then start the training."

Naru walks in and closes the door behind him. I smiled in triumph, head to the kitchen and put the kettle on. I quickly throw together the tea mixture and hand Naru his tea. He takes a deep breath, inhaling in the sweet scent of herbal tea. He raised the cup to his lips and took a large sip. I found myself watching him watching me. I felt shivers run down my spine and then I drank some of my own tea. _Bad Astrid, _I thought, _don't watch someone like that. They'll think your insane. Talking to yourself and all..._

"Finished ogling, have you Astrid?" He said after finishing the tea.

I felt the blood rushing to my cheeks after that. "I wasn't ogling. I was waiting to see what you thought of the tea. Is it good?" _Wait to go Astrid, nice save!_

"I'll have you know that it doesn't taste all that bad." He said. The edge of his lips tilting upwards. "It could have used something else though."

Oh, the narcissist was going to get it if he thought my tea was bad! "And I'll have you know that it was my last cup of herbal tea. I only have peppermint now and that is one of my favorites. You're not going anywhere near the stash I have. Right, come on. Let's get to the practice room."

"Practice room?" I heard him mutter as he followed me down the hall to the room at the end. The practice room. The practice room was where I trained my powers. It was a simple large white room with many cracks and marks on the wall where I had hit the wall with either my fist or my PK. Take your pick, I used both when training. The fist: when I got angry for doing something wrong or net getting it right. I've been told that I'm a bit of a perfectionist. The PK: every time I was in the practice room, I would aim the PK at certain spots where I had set things up.

There was targets set up in awkward places in the room. Dangling from the ceiling, in between wall and floor on an angle, or even placed outside the window where I can use a mirror to reflect it back and to. It was a clever idea, if I do say so myself. But I haven't been in the room for a week at most. And even then, it was only to give it a sweep over. I didn't practice then at all. So really, it's been about a month since I have.

"Welcome to the practice room." I said swinging the door open to reveal a _fairly _tidy room. I walked in the room and rolled up my sleeves. I glanced around, the room was still like I had left it, just a little more dust. Nonetheless, the room looked superb and I was ready for some training.

"Nice room," Naru commented coming up next to my right. "Should we start then? How about we begin with simple exorcises?"

"Nah, I'm aiming for the big stuff. If you want to start by seeing whether you can still move a piece of paper, then by all means, knock yourself out."

He chuckled. The sound was music to my ears and yet again, I found myself trying to hold back a blush. "Oh, I know." I said. "How about we see if we can do PK bouncing? Eh? I know you haven't been able to do that recently and I think we will make it work. In fact, I know so."

"I don't know," He murmured. "It might not work. I could hurt you."

"Hurt me?!" I laughed. "You can't hurt me, Naru. I'm indestructible. It'll take an iron bullet to take me down... _don't get any ideas._"

"Okay, okay. You're indestructible." He said. "Fine, I will try to bounce the PK. You start. Start off small."

Naru and I stood opposite each other, our hands already in position. Mine at ten and two, his ready to catch a ball. I moved my hands as if I was turning a wheel, slowly making the circle smaller and smaller as I did. There was a flash of blue light and then I felt something in my hands. It was the PK. I had conjured of a small ball the size of a golf ball. I pulled more energy from the earth to make the ball slightly bigger and then I threw it over to Naru. He caught it and made it bigger until it was the size of a base ball or tennis ball. It had turned a beautiful color of blue and gold swirls.

I smiled, we were doing it and so far nothing wrong had happened. I knew it would work! Naru threw the ball back to me and we continued to make the ball of PK bigger until it was the size or a standard football. I had it in my clutches now, and I stretched it further. It was like a basket ball now. Too large for me to hole in cupped hands. I passed it over to Naru and told him to throw it at the largest of the targets.

He did and with so much speed that the target burst into flames and fell to the floor. I smiled, grinned, laughed. That was one of the best training sessions I have had in a long time. I glanced at Naru. He had a smile on his face as well. I flicked my hand in the direction of the flames and they disappeared.

"Told you I wouldn't get hurt." I said picking up the hot target. The warmth spread through my hands. It was a nice sensation. Gave you warm shivers down your spine.

"Well, now I know that it works. We can use it more often. Especially when we run into nasty spirits." He said taking the target out of my hands. He put it on the side and grabbed me by the elbow, dragging me out of the room and into the kitchen. He took out my peppermint tea and demanded that I make him a cup of the finest. I laughed at that. I didn't mind sharing with Naru. At least I know that he actually likes the tea and it's not going to waste.

I put the kettle on for the tenth time today and started to make the peppermint tea, _my _precious peppermint tea. I loved the flavor but the liquid looks rather funny. Like odd apple juice or pee (sometimes that puts me of drinking it). But what the hey? It's delicious!

"Nice tea," Naru hummed. I scowled at him. I he hadn't drunk the last of my other tea then he would not be in a five mile radius of my peppermint mix.

"Whatever," I say downing the last of my own tea. "I think we should start packing for the case soon. I wonder if Lin has called the others."

"I wonder what other types of tea you have," Naru said blatantly ignoring me. I turned to look at him and scowled. He was going through my collection of tea. I wanted to hurt him so bad right now. No one, and I repeat _no one_ touches my tea! My precious peppermint, fruity flavors, honey, decaff and the like. And Naru was going through them all. I swear I saw him pocket a tea bag.

"Damn it Naru! That's my tea..." I say reaching for one that was in his hands. He lifted it out of my reach, "Come get it then."

I smirked. _Oh Naru, you're going to regret playing this game with me. _I used my PK to knock it out of his hands and then move it away from him. I then moved to get it but he grabbed my arm and reached for the box of tea that was on my left. He was so close that I felt his breath against my arm. My cheeks burned red. Oh damn this guy!

I used my other hand to reach for the box but he took a step back and put the small box in his back pocket... on his pants. I cursed and gave up. I wasn't going to reach into his pants pocket to get a box of tea I could always steal back another time.

"Screw you," I mutter.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Thanks for reading, reviewing, following and favoring. Don't forget to say what you think about the chapters so that I can make it better or change things to suit people's interests. Hope you guys enjoy the story :) By the way, Astrid calls her biological mother, _mum. _And her 'adopted' mother, _mother. _If that makes any sense. I just felt that it fitted the situation very well. For future purposes, I plan to bring Yasu into the story through a different case, not the one from the anime and the manga. And he might not be a high school student like he should be. Maybe he will be older and even more cheekier like everyone seems to make him.

**Disclaimer: **I will never own Ghost Hunt, that pleasure is all Fuyumi Ono's and Shiho Inada's

* * *

**Chapter eight**

_**"I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity." - Edgar Allan Poe  
**_

* * *

"Damn it Naru! That's my tea..." I say reaching for one that was in his hands. He lifted it out of my reach, "Come get it then."

I smirked. _Oh Naru, you're going to regret playing this game with me. _I used my PK to knock it out of his hands and then move it away from him. I then moved to get it but he grabbed my arm and reached for the box of tea that was on my left. He was so close that I felt his breath against my arm. My cheeks burned red. Oh damn this guy!

I used my other hand to reach for the box but he took a step back and put the small box in his back pocket... on his pants. I cursed and gave up. I wasn't going to reach into his pants pocket to get a box of tea I could always steal back another time.

"Screw you," I mutter.

I sent Naru back to his home and started to pack for the next case. But he would be back soon, with his own suit case and Lin hot on his tail. So I wouldn't have that much time to myself. _Sadly... _But I do enjoy some alone time. It gives me a chance to get myself up to speed with the world, read, have some tea and the like. But Naru was stealing my tea right under my nose and I hadn't realized that he had taken three whole boxes until he had left the premises.

I grabbed my suit case and started filling it with my shirts, pants, underwear, a few good books on _mind over matter_ and the last of my tea bags. I might as well, and then on the way home I can stop by Hana-san's tea shop to stock up. That doesn't sound like a bad plan, I think I'll do that.

Zipping up my suitcase, I leave it by the door and then I sit on the couch to take a cat nap. I needed the rest, really. The bags underneath my eyes wouldn't just disappear with the wave of a hand, would they? I closed by eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep. Unaware that I wouldn't sleep a dreamless sleep.

* * *

_"Mum! Mum! I'm here mummy." My seven year old self said as I sat alone in a graveyard. "I've come to spend some time with you beyond the grave. Isn't that nice of me?! Oh, I know it is. Hey, how about I tell you about my new mother?"  
_

_"Go away Astrid, I don't want you here." I heard her voice. I asked why. "Because you irritate me so damn much. You're the reason David left, you little brat!"_

_I felt my eyes welling up. How could she say that to her own flesh and blood? I may still have been a little girl but when I awoke from that fire a year ago, I was intelligent. Not just intelligent, but unbelievably. I knew everything that the human mind could ever know and the knowledge wasn't going anywhere any time soon. So despite being a 'silly' little eight year old I knew a lot about things. All types of things. So I understood her hatred for me._

_"I understand mum," I say standing on my two wobbly legs. "I'll leave. But I may not ever visit you again. I hope you rot in hell. Ms Blake you are an unconscionably gruesome parasite and a naive buttock-rimming abomination to all the senses. I hope to never see you again"_

_I moved away from the grave and ran back to my new home which was just around the corner, the tears already streaming down my face. How could she?! The damn foolish old hag! I don't see how someone can turn away their own child just because they believed that he or she was the reason they were single._

_I ran past the cemetery and into the house. My new brother Tom was there, we all call him Tommo. He was having some difficulties at the moment and if we weren't careful then he could have gone into a serious mental breakdown. And it would all be thanks to me. It was my fault he was like this. He didn't like to be in the same room as me. Whenever we were near each other, he would start to whimper and scurry away as fast as he could. His mind wasn't the same as before._

_I came into the room and sat on the couch. Tommo immediately got up and ran out of the room. "Tommo!" I yelled desperately. The last time he ran off, we found him at the top of one of the tallest trees about ready to jump off if I came to close. So I'd hate to think of what would happen if no one were to go after him. He could end up injured, or yet even dead. I didn't want that. No one did._

_Running after him, I found the two of us at the highest floor in the house. The floor that had a hug window that was open and had a whimpering Tommo half in and half out. I panicked. What the hell was he planning to do?! "Tommo?" I shouted as he edged further out of the window. I walked closer to him but he only edged further away to the point where one more stop could make him fall to the ground outside._

_He took that step, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. And then he was falling. I used my PK to try and stop him, slowly bringing him back up to the floor I was stood on. I was sweating, it was too much effort for an eight year old with little to no practice in this field of supernatural powers. My grip on him was becoming much harder to hold. And then I heard footsteps coming up behind us. They were mother's footsteps and she was at the top of the stairs._

_My grip loosened and then I heard a terrified scream as I yelled for dear little Tommo's life._

* * *

I woke up to someone shaking my shoulder. I was crying and the sweat was pooling up on my forehead. Why was it always like this whenever I awoke from a dream? Crying and sweating? Surely it can't always be healthy for me, can it? I don't really think so. I will have to consult with Matsuzaki-san about it. She is trained in that field of work.

"...rid... As..trid... Astrid!" I heard Naru saying. I opened my eyes to see him and Lin looking at me with looks of concern. I frowned, why were they concerned? It was just a dream after all, it was like I was living it again for the second time. It's history and won't do me any real harm. Well, apart from emotional stress but I was bloody used to that already. Being Astrid Blake and all...

"What?" I manage to groan out. I rubbed my forehead and wiped my eyes. I was hot. Too hot. Maybe I was running up a temperature.

"You were crying and shaking, Astrid. Is that the night terrors?" Lin asks as he sits next to me.

I nod slightly. "In a sense, yes Lin. But they're not night terrors. They're dreams, Lin. They're normal dreams."

"Have you tried going to the doctor about it? This could develop into something really bad, or even night terrors as we assumed. Astrid, if you don't go to a doctor than I will drag you there myself or I will make Noll do it. Do you hear me? You are going to a doctor after this case is over and that is final." Lin said.

"With that over and done with, should we get going? Takigawa and Ms Matsuzaki will meet us there." Naru said grabbing my suit case and charging out the door. I saw him walk over to the van and throw it in the boot. Lin and I share a quick glance before joining Naru outside in the van. Lin starts the engine and off we go to case number two.

I was sat in the van, between Lin and Naru. We talked, briefly. And it was about boring stuff. Like Naru needing to go to the opticians and him saying he had the best eye sight he could ever wish for. Or Lin needing to stop poking his nose into Naru's business and keeping things to himself. I laughed at that part of our conversation, earning glares from the two men. I enjoyed watching them, at that point. But that was before they started talking about bills and taxes. I didn't want to hear it.

"We're here!" Lin suddenly declares startling me. I looked around to see where we were and I felt a pull on my spiritual self. Something or rather someone was trying to speak to the living. Maybe they had information, maybe they wanted to show me what happened. Whatever it was, I was willing to hear them out. It could help us or it could not. With that in mind, I close my eyes and drift out of my body and was immediately pulled into a vision.

* * *

_"Jason's not been feeling well has he?" Asked the Priest. Polly sadly nodded, she was worried and terrified. What if her husband did something utterly terrible and she could do nothing about it. She wouldn't feel all that great herself, knowing that she might have had the chance to prevent whatever might happen. But no, Jason hadn't been feeling well. Not right in the head, more like. He hears voices, you see. In his head, he said. Jason is extremely paranoid at the moment, not trusting anyone and making false acusations. It's only a matter of time before he truly loses it._

_"Don't worry too much," the priest said resting a hand on Polly's shoulder. "I'll pray to God. Let's all pray that Jason gets better, ay?"_

_Polly's face lit up, she smiled. "Yes, yes I shall do that. Surely God will forgive Jason for the wrong he did, whatever that may have been. God is a very forgiving being, I hope he let's Jason see the light. Thank you Father."_

_There was a loud noise, like the slamming of a door and then the footsteps of a man in distress. He approached the priest and his wife. Grabbing Polly's hand, he pulled her behind him in a protective way. "Stay away from MY girl!" He yelled. "I mean it priest, stay the f*ck away and don't come near her. I know what you were trying to do. And it won't work I tell you, it just won't work. You see? Because I know what you are trying to do! Ha ha, bet you didn't know that, did yeh?"_

_"Jason calm down!" Polly says trying to free her arm from her husband's iron grip. He was scaring her._

_"No! No I will not Polly, because this man is trying to have his way with you and I bet you were all for it. Weren't you?! Oh I bet you were. No woman can be that upbeat and faithful to her husband! You must be seeing someone. If it isn't the priest then it must be the butcher. He's always had eyes for you!"_

_"Jason, you don't understand!" Polly yelled. "I'm only seeing you, just you! I'm happy because I am with a lovely man like you!"_

_"I don't want to hear you silly excuses Polly. You are seeing someone other than me and you are trying to cover for them. Who is it Polly? Who is it? Is it the priest or the butcher? You know what, it might even be both, knowing you."_

_"Jason, Jason please stop. Please..." Polly begged while the tears fell down her cheeks. "Please..."_

* * *

I drifted back into my body and was met with an angry Naru and an unconcerned Lin. I climbed out of the van and stretched, ignoring the two. I started to make my way over to the bridge where Jason had apparently heard his wife's beating undead heart and then proceeded to kill himself. It defiantly had an eery atmosphere, I'll give it that. So far, I was believing that it had actually happened. I had enough evidence so far, I just needed more.

I sat on the grass and traced the water in the lake with my fingers. It was a super hot day, yet the water was so so cold. Another sign that makes me have faith in the fact that the ghost story is real. If not fifty percent, one hundred. There was a few bubbles in the lake where I thought a fish was. But there was no fish there. Not at all. It was something roughly the same size, if not smaller ever so slightly. It was a pale color and made noises that went a little like: _da-dum da-dum da-dum._

I stood to me feet, in a hurried manor. Where was the noise coming from anyway? When I looked back at the lake, the heart was gone but I could still hear the heart. D_a-dum da-dum da-dum. _I looked around the ground, up in the sky (don't ask why) and all around. There was no heart. No nothing. All I could see was sun, sky, trees, grass, buildings, bridge, water, van, cars, unconcerned Lin and not-so-angry Naru. It seemed normal. And yet, I could till hear it. D_a-dum da-dum da-dum._ Where the hell was it coming from?!

I put my hands over my ears to block out the sound but it didn't work. D_a-dum da-dum da-dum._ I could still hear it and it was getting louder. It was starting to freak me out. I curled in a ball on the ground, my hands over my ears and my eyes closed. How is it possible that I can still hear it? How? My eyes opened and I looked at the water. Maybe if I jump in there, the noise will go. Yes, I believe it will. I stood and ran to the water, getting ready to jump in. There was a splash, a few shouts and then I was under the surface. My breathing started to get ragged and I could see something coming at me. It looked like a body...

In a panicked state, my mouth opened and water flooded in, trying to choke me. Then I felt the body grab onto my hand and something shiny and cold trace my arm, releasing some of my blood as it did. I was being cut. I was being cut by something that was under the water. My sight was blinded by a flash of gold and then I felt sturdy hands pull me out of the water. I was shivering, wet and cold... and unable to move without hurting myself. My left arm and specifically.

"Astrid what the hell were you thinking?" Naru yells as Lin wraps a blanket around my shoulders.

"I-I wa-" I began but Naru interrupted me. "That's right," He yells. "You weren't. What could have happened if you had drowned? Ay? What would have happened then? There was a high chance that you might not have made it out of that water alive! If I hadn't of thought so quickly and used my PK to blast water ever the hell was near you away, you could have come out a lot worse than you already were. Watch yourself, will you? Because someone out there may actually bloody care if you drop dead!"

And with that he storms away, leaving Lin and I shocked and surprised at his sudden outburst. What the hell was that about? You can't be telling me that the guy actually- _Yeah Astrid, like the guy actually what? Cares? Pft! Don't make me laugh! _Shut the hell up! I don't know who the hell you think you are taking over my thoughts, but bloody back off would you? _Sure Astrid, tell yourself to back off! Like every sane person in the joint._

Ignoring myself, I abruptly stand letting the blanket fall to my feet. I wanted to go after Naru but my feet weren't listening. All I could do is stare off in the direction he had left. What the hell was wrong with me? You hate the guy, so why do you want to chase after him to make sure he is fine? Why do that anyway? You were the one that was shouted at anyway, not Naru. Shaking my head slightly, I sit back down feeling my eyes stinging with unshed tears.

"He'll come around," Lin said patting my shoulder. "You just wait, he'll come back. At least I think he will."

"What?!" I manage to squeak out. "You mean this hasn't happened before?"

"Not that I know of. But he hasn't had anyone to act like this for. This is as new to him as it is for you." Lin said smiling a little. "But don't worry yourself. He will come back and hopefully with the case solved. You see, whenever Noll is upset or angry he steams off by doing more work than normal. So that is an awful lot."

I laugh at that last part but I was still worried. Which was strange, I haven't _worried _over anyone before. It feels so weird, yet so... _right? _I smile sadly to myself, I really shouldn't have associated myself with these sorts of people. They will be the death of me most likely. That's always the way. But I will just have to suck it up and deal with it. It's not the end of the world. Maybe the end of me, but not the world. Never the world.

"Hey Lin," I said. He raises and eyebrow for me to continue. "I heard the heart. I wanted to block it out, so I covered my ears but the noise seemed to get louder. I felt temporarily insane, Lin, I did. I opened my eyes and looked at the lake. Something inside me must have clicked because I found myself wanting to jump in. Something was telling me... no _persuading _me to do it, saying that if I did, the noise would stop. So I jumped in. The noise stopped and then I saw a body. They reached out and held onto my hand. And then they slowly traced the knife down my-"

"Your arm! What the hell happened to you arm?!" I heard Matsuzaki-san shout. She rushed over to us with Monk following shortly behind. Matsuzaki-san grabbed my arm and I hissed it pain. She took a step back to examine it thoroughly and then she frowned. "Two question," She said. "Who cut you? And why are you soaking wet? It's bloody hot today. Did you decided to go and jump in the river?"

I flinched and she smakced her forehead. "You did, didn't you?!"

"Not exactly." I said. "Matsuzaki-san-"

"Ayako is fine."

"Ayako, can you please just sort it out. It hurts and we have better things to attend to like finding Naru." I sigh.

"No need." I heard Naru's cold tone. "I'm here and I think that the ghost story is real. We will get to work straight away. Ms Matsuzaki fix her, would you? I don't need to hear her whine and complain that a mere scratch as her brought her down. My ears can't stand such nonsense."

I flinched. Did he really have to be so cold. _Yes. Yes he did, Astrid. Anyone would be if they were talking to you. _Shut the hell up! Get out of my damn head already! _No. Why should I? _Because you are getting on my damned nerves. Get lost already! _Sorry, can't. Even if I wanted to, you and I are stuck together like thick and thin. There's no losing me, Astrid. A smart girl like you should know better. _Fine, you can bloody stay. Just shut the hell up and don't say anything at all. Is that clear? _Crystal..._

Ayako bandaged up my arm while the other three were stood by the lake discussing possible theories. I sighed as Ayako raiser her eyebrow at me for an explanation. I sighed again, "I've just got a lot going on and Naru being an ass isn't helping me at all. Ayako, what should I do?"

"About what Kotomi?" She asks while securing my bandage.

"Things. Everything. Something. Nothing. I don't know. I just need the help."

"Maybe if you were a little specific then I could help," She says. "Start off small. What is the smallest thing that you need help with?"

I think for a moment. "Naru."

"Okaaay," She says raising an eyebrow. "What about your boss?"

The word hit me hard, '_boss_'. "How do I cheer him up or whatever? I made him mad and now I feel guilty."

"What does he like then? Make him or buy him something he would like and give it to him as an _I'm sorry _present. Hey, how about tea? I heard he loves his tea."

I nod and laugh a little. "Yes, he loves his tea. But he took three boxes of tea from me this morning and now I only have half a box of peppermint tea left."

"Does he like peppermint tea?"

"Yes he does, I think. Well he liked it this morning so I'd say yes."

"Then there you go then," Ayako smiles warmly at me. "Give him some peppermint tea and he will be happy... Okay, maybe not happy but as close as he gets to happy so I think that tea will do the trick."

"But there isn't a kettle and I didn't bring a cup or anything, so we have to scrap that idea."

"Don't worry." Ayako says rummaging through her bag, "I have a flask already full of hot water. Just add the tea bag, sugar and milk and then your done. One happy Naru, or an almost happy one if you get what I mean. Good luck then Kotomi."

She passes me the flask and I start to make Naru his tea. For some reason, I feel on edge. Like, if I don't get Naru back to his normal self then he will do something stupid like I don't know... kill me and himself in the process. Don't ask, that's all I can think of. But it does sound familiar. I wonder why though.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Hello again! Thanks to anyone who reads, reviews, follows or favorites. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I enjoy being the writer. Just a heads up, there will be a lot of _damn's, hell's, bloody's _and maybe even a few swears in this story but they will always have the * symbol in there somewhere. Sorry if this upsets any of you.

**Disclaimer:** I do not have the pleasure in owning Ghost Hunt

* * *

**Chapter nine**

_**"In one aspect, yes, I believe in ghosts, but we create them. We haunt ourselves." ―Laurie Halse Anderson.**_

* * *

She passes me the flask and I start to make Naru his tea. For some reason, I feel on edge. Like, if I don't get Naru back to his normal self then he will do something stupid like I don't know... kill me and himself in the process. Don't ask, that's all I can think of. But it does sound familiar. I wonder why though.

Once I was finished making Naru his tea, I went over to him and pushed the tea into his hands. He just took it. No thank you, no nothing. I frown, that's odd. I know that he doesn't usually use his manners with people. But he did with me. "Cat got your tongue?" I say to him warily. He just glares and hands back the cup after taking a few seconds to rid the cup of its contents. Now, if this was any other day, I would be impressed. But today was different. Today Naru was in a horrendous mood.

I moved my left arm and hissed with pain. It was getting worse. The pain, that is. "Why don't you just take your bloody pain killers?" He sneered at me. I felt horrible all of a sudden, like I was dirt people had walked all over. I didn't like the feeling. Why was Naru like this anyway? Why?"

"It would effect my sleeping habits. I wouldn't be able to take the pills." I answer in an equally cold tone. He frowned slightly but then it was replaced with a glare in three seconds flat. "What are you still doing here?" He said. "Go and get to work already. Go and find Takigawa and ask him what to do. He'll give you a job. And I want it done quickly."

I stomp back to the van, throw the cup at Ayako who yelps and then trudge angrily over to Monk, asking him what I should do. I hate taking orders from others, especially from people who aren't as smart as me. They could make dire mistakes, feed you false information and fail to exorcise a fairly simple ghost. Not all of them were to be trusted. I don't know about Monk though, he seems the trustworthy type. But you never ever judge a book by its cover.

"For starters," He says. "You can calm down. And then I would like you to take temperatures in this area... To see where we would need to concentrate our investigation. Write and record the results. Then you can serve a round of tea to everyone. I know you have hidden your tea bags in your suit case. After that, you can take a look around the areas which have colder temperatures, note down some things that might be helpful to the case. And then-"

"Okay, shut up!" I say quickly and rather loudly. "I've been in this business longer than you have. I know what I am doing, do not tell me to all these things that might as well be the size of bloody ten year old's Christmas list. All I wanted to know is a few simple things. Now, I would like to play the victim of the victim or of the eye witness since I have something to account. I want you to record that. Understand?"

My tone had gotten very bittersweet towards the end and I swear that I saw Monk's hands shaking a little. I wanted to smirk, but today wasn't the day. I was in a mood all thanks to my narcissistic jerk of a boss. Why did he have to act that way towards me? What had I done wrong... apart from jump into a lake unprepared and refusing to acknowledge the consequences? Not bloody much! And that wasn't even me, I wasn't in full control of my body's actions. You can't blame the entire thing on me!

Monk swallowed, "Okay I understand what you mean. Let me get Lin's laptop before you start talking."

I watched as Monk walked back to the van, a shake in his step. He took the laptop from Lin's hands quite forcefully and started to make his way back. With each second that passed, I found myself getting more and more pissed off. I felt the electricity surging through my veins as I was pulling power from the laptop. It had blue electricity swirling around it. More and more would appear, as the machine and I became closer together. Until, the laptop blew a fuse and the blue electricity continued to flow.

I felt it all throughout my body and I like the feeling. It made me feel a tad bit giddy and I wasn't as angry. I suddenly saw the blue electricity at my finger tips, zapping and creating a low buzz. I got my index finger and touched my arm. I didn't feel anything other than my finger tip. _Great_, so it was my PK that was like this. I quietly gasped. That must mean the hue of my eyes was an electric blue and everyone can see that.

Ayako and Monk don't know that I have PK and I would prefer it to stay that way for a while longer. Shielding my eyes from the others, I slowly walked over to the lake. I bent down so that I was sat on the grass where I had first heard the undead heart beat. I listened in for a second. _Da-dum da-dum da-dum da-dum._

I take my right hand and channel the PK through there. Gathering it so that there was enough to shock someone, I slowly put my hand into the water and watched as the electricity flowed through it. Several fish floated to the top and then the low _d__a-dum da-dum da-dum da-dum _of the heart ceased. I checked the area to see whether there were any lingering spirits. Seeing as there were none, I stood and walked over to the van. Before climbing upfront, I shouted "Case closed. We can go back home now!"

I closed the door and watched Ayako with her stunned expression, Lin glaring at his laptop like it had told him he was fat, Monk stood frozen to the spot where the laptop blew a fuse and a still angry Naru who was working his way over to the van. He yelled something to Lin and then got into the van next to me, slamming the door shut as he did so. I see the others sigh and then go their separate ways. Lin joins us in the van, starts up the engine and off we went back to the center of Tokyo, a rough two hour ride.

I slump back into my seat and close my now normal eyes. I still wasn't speaking to Naru and I certainly wasn't going to break the silence by apologizing to Lin about breaking his laptop. He had it insured anyway, I didn't need to pay money. Only and apology and Lin would be fine.

"About an hour left," Lin informs us after a while of driving. I hummed in reply, Naru refused to speak. I closed my eyes again and started thinking about what was to come. I think that I will have a hard time at SPR if Naru and I are fighting about my _thoughtless _actions. Because I do them all of the time. He's just going to have to deal with it or fire me.

"Are either of you going to speak in the next week?" Lin had finally flipped. "It's not healthy to have this kind of re- friendship. Sort yourselves out, would you? The two of you are driving me insane..."

"Well join the club Lin," I said. "You're not the only one pissed off with this turn of events."

"Maybe you wouldn't be like that Lin, if Astrid hadn't of decided to just go and jump in a damn lake." Naru finally said.

"I didn't decided to just jump in a lake!" I yelled causing Naru to glare. "All I could hear was that damned heart beating all of the time and then there was someone trying to tell... no persuading me that if I went into the lake, it would stop completely. Which it thankfully did."

"Yeah, but then you almost died because you didn't ant to hear the beating of a heart that wasn't actually there." Naru says almost in disbelief. "And I thought you were meant to be smart, Astrid. What did you think would happen if you went and jumped into a bloody lake? Did you think that the heart would disappear? That it would be gone and never come back to bother you?!"

"Well it would have because I would have just died anyway." I said almost on the brink of tears. "I would have just died and then all your problems would have just magically disappeared. You'd be happy then, wouldn't you? That way you would not have to deal with such a difficult person such as myself. I would be gone from your life and you could just forget about Astrid Blake. That sounds like the easiest thing in the world..."

"Maybe."

That was when my tears finally fell. When he said "maybe". That single word hurt so damned much and it was basically like him saying that he wanted me dead. That it would have brought him pleasure to see me drown or for that entity to kill me. That was the last straw, Oliver Davis was a cold heartless b*stard. "Glad you feel that way! I wish I had died there and then too. That way I wouldn't be a bother to people."

"Astrid! Don't say that!" Lin says coming to an abrupt stop. We were back in the center of Tokyo, outside of my house.

"Why can't I Lin? Why can't I?" I half say half yell. "I've caused so much damn trouble for everyone I have ever met and they haven't forgiven me. They haven't forgiven me, Lin. Do you know how it feels? To be pushed aside and blamed for everything. Things you have _and _haven't done?! Well it hurts so much that you feel yourself breaking inside. And each time it happens, you tell yourself that you can get through it and it will be over soon. But you know what? You hold onto it for the rest of your life..."

"Astrid, I never-"

"Do you know what it feels like to be abandoned and pushed away from the very person you call _mum_?" I say, still in tears. "It's not nice, it kills you inside. When I visited her grave when I was eight, you know what she said to me? She told me to get bloody lost and she doesn't want to see me ever again because she blames me for the reason why her husband left. Ms Blake blamed me for it and shouted in my face. All because she thought David left her because she had me. And now, David said he had a reason why. I didn't want to hear it because he had left me with the damned woman. The woman who neglected me and set her own house on fire because she thought she could take to David through a seance to see if he was alive or not."

I take my bag from the back seat and climb out of the van. "Sorry Lin." I say. "But every f*cking word I bloody said is the truth. All of it. So don't go telling me I don't have a reason to say I would be better off dead. Thanks for the ride. I will see you tomorrow at work. That is if you will still take me in."

I slam the door and go inside of my home, the tears still streaming down my face. Maybe after I have calmed down, I will go and see Hana-san to stock up on some tea and have a nice chat. Hana-san always cheers me up no matter what. She will understand what I am feeling. Maybe she can even help me understand what I am feeling. This is all new to me, I don't very much understand. Sighing, I go and get changed into some cooler clothes and leave the house heading for Hana-san's tea shop.

* * *

**_Narrator's Point of View..._**

* * *

Naru left Lin to park the car as he went into _Shibuya Psychic Research_. He was still in an odd mood and he didn't quite understand how to sort his new feelings out. He was mad. He was angry. He was... worried, as well as concerned. And that all went back to one person he thought that he would never meet. Astrid Blake, a famous British ghost hunter with extraordinary levels of PK and other psychical powers, just like himself. When his parents told him about this person, he was secretly surprised and a little happy. There was someone out there that was just like him. Maybe even more so powerful. But nonetheless, he was thrilled deep inside. And then his parents told him the news about her. That her mother had died in a house fire and that she was lucky to be alive. That she had lost her memory but her impressive knowledge about everything had stayed, as well as her abilities, psychical and physical.

But to meet her all of a sudden on his search for his dead brother came as a shock. Seen as she had disappeared long ago, whether on the run or dead, no one knew. There was rumors about her, lots of them. That she had gone insane and had attacked the family that was willing to raise her. That she had a murderous mind and was running away from the authorities. That she had mysteriously died, to name a few. But there were more. Lots. And Naru had hated to listen to them all. His secret hope that maybe they would one day meet and that she was perfectly sane, had shattered into a million pieces. So he tried to forget about this person he didn't even know and move on with life. Years later, he was just as famous and then it all went down hill. His brother Eugene had gone off to Japan to study about becoming a better medium and had, all of a sudden, been hit with a car and thrown in a lake.

And poor Naru had to watch it all, as he had gone to borrow one of his brother's spare tops back at his home in England. He then left for Japan, in search of the body. That's when he came across an amusing ghost hunter in the area, Minami Kotomi. Also known as Astrid Blake. Bu he didn't know that, not at the time anyway. Neither did the other people she met on that fist case they shared. No one apart from Lin and John Brow. To say that Naru had been a little annoyed that he wasn't the first person to know the real her, was the understatement of the century. But then as those few days past, Naru realized that maybe, just maybe, he had the upper hand there. He might be one of three to know of her identity. But he was one of the closest to her at that very moment.

Sure, John had met her in Australia a while back, but they never got to know each other properly. Sure, Lin had known her for a short while when he went back to China. However, he too, didn't know her as a person. Yes, he knew the way she acted and such. Yes, he knew who she was when they met. But he doesn't know her true self. Her true personality. Which is where John and Lin go down the list and Naru was at the top. He knew of her dad. He knew her favorite tea, and the ones she liked. He knew that she doesn't really like to wear dresses, especially the one her father gave her. But she forced herself to wear them anyway when she had nothing else to put on. He knew that she was going through difficulties, skin deep ones. He knew how much they bothered her. So much so that she had dreams about them all the time and they kept her awake.

Naru knew lots about her, but not enough to call her a friend or something more. Not her favorite color, not her mother's name, not anything like that. But to Astrid, they were pointless things not worth sharing unless she was talking to someone that would listen intently and not share them with others. Which Naru wouldn't do, was what he wanted to tell her. But he kept that to himself and just hoped - just a little - that she would open up. Which is what she was doing, but slowly. He wouldn't like to admit it, but she had something on him that no one else had on him. She made him feel all these things he had never felt before. Like the anger. The concern. The worry. The need to know more about this one person. It was driving him mad, all these emotions. That's why wasn't in the best of moods. He was angry with himself for not knowing what to do about them. And that is when the awful mood of his had kicked in.

He had snapped at Astrid during their earlier case because she had just gone and jumped in a lake without acknowledging the consequences. He had believed her when she said that something was telling her to do it, that she could hear them persuading her to go and jump in. But he still felt angry towards her for even listening. He was worried that something might have happened to her when she was in the water. She could have drown, died or been seriously injured. He didn't want that, so had shouted at her and made her feel terrible. But that horrible mood of his hadn't stopped there. He continued to be nasty and when she had given him her tea, something inside him had soothed instantaneously. But then he had finished the cup and the mood had come back.

He felt awful for treating her that way, but he didn't show it. And then on their way back home Lin had made them talk to him. She had starting to saying that she might have died and how she should have. Naru wanted her to stop speaking like that, someone out there must value her life. It just so happened that she was in the van with two of them. But she was convinced, or more like convincing herself that she would be better of if the water had claimed her. Then she got talking about all the trouble she caused people that new her, and he had believed her then again. She was causing him trouble, but not the type she had for others. Then the topic of her mum had been released. And Naru's mood had worsened yet again. He felt a little sad and was desperately trying his best to not comfort the upset girl. But then she climbed out of the van and left them.

Naru and Lin had a silent ride back to SPR, no one would dare speak. Until Lin declared that they were going to have a long talk when they got inside. About what, he doesn't know for sure. But his best guess, was about Astrid. He had upset her and made her remember things she didn't want to remember, so Lin was in the right mind with giving Naru a stern talking to. But both men were not looking forward to it. Lin wanted to get his message across, but he also didn't want to be the one to do. He'd rather someone else took over. Maybe Astrid, but Astrid was too busy trying to get her own feelings in check and didn't acknowledge that Naru was going through something himself. The only one that knew was Lin, because he had been babysitting the boy ever since he was little. And he was sure that not even Naru himself, was understanding what he was going through. And Lin had guessed right.

Naru went into the SPR office and sat down on one of the couches. He rubbed one of his temples and closed his eyes, he could feel a headache coming. And he was sure as hell, that Lin would make it feel worse with this _talk _of theirs. He opened his eyes and looked at the kitchenette, suddenly wanting a cup of tea. But he wanted Astrid's tea. It was the best cuppa he had ever had in a long long time. He just wasn't willing to admit that to anyone, never mind the said girl.

"Noll," Lin said as he came back into the office carrying the suitcases. He sat down on the opposite side of the couch as Naru. "We need to talk now. About Astrid, if that isn't too much trouble. I think that I understand what you are going through. But then again, I'm not a teenager anymore so I have forgot most of this stuff. Anyway, you are feeling these... things. And you don't know how to handle them so you are taking it out on others. Astrid specifically. You need to learn how to control them without getting into one of your moods and making everyone around you feel so low. Is it clear so far?"

He watched Naru give a curt nod before he continued. "I can't help you figure out these feelings of your or why you are feeling them. That's for you to do yourself. But I'll tell you what I can do. I can help you understand how to control them so you are not hurting everyone that even tries to talk to you. If you want, I can give you these mind exorcises for you to do, and then that should help you get a better control."

Naru nodded. "Okay, Lin. I'll try that-" He stopped as he heard his mobile phone ring. Curious, he reached into his pocket and took out his phone. The caller ID wasn't there and that made his suspicions rise higher. _Who is this person, _he thought. He gave Lin a quick glance before putting the phone on speaker and answering the call. "Hello?" He said.

"Ah, finally. I've been trying to call all day. Listen, I need your help desperately Oliver Davis. Please fly back over to the UK so that you can help me with my... er, my problem." Said an English female. But Naru did not know this female, neither did Lin. "I need you over in Scotland, Broxburn, East Lothian by this Wednesady."

"I beg your pardon Miss," Naru said in English. "But I do not know who you are or how you are calling on my phone. No one should know this number."

They heard a girly laugh. "Oh dear me! Sorry about that, where are my manners? My name is Hannah Abernathy. My problem... well, my problem revolves around my deceased child. You see, due to er, _circumstances _my son died about nine years ago and he has been a bit of a bother ever since. But onlu until recently has it got out of hand. He has been wailing and calling for his... his _sister _all day and almost all night. He's too upset and he won't move on. Please? Could you please help me? This is a sore subject for me, really. I want my son to be in peace."

Lin looked at Naru and raised a brow. _Should we take it? _Lin was silently asking. Naru gave Lin another glance before he spoke, "Okay Mrs Abernathy. I will be there by Wednesday with my assistant and possibly a third person. Thank you for contacting me about your problem, but I wish for more details when we arrive. It may help us get your son to move on quicker this way. Good day, Mrs Abernathy."

He hung up before he sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Let's get packing then. We can call Astrid later today before we leave."


	10. Chapter 10

AN: I hope you all enjoyed that chapter. I thought it was cool and I really liked writing it. Especially the narrator's point of view bit. We finally found out what was going on with Naru. In this chapter, it will start of with the narrator's point of view and we will then return back to Astrid. I might swap between the two from now on but I don't think I will do any others. Maybe... I don't know.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ghost Hunt, I'm just here to mess with the characters! :)

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**Chapter ten**

**"The best things in life are unexpected, because there were no expectation." - Eli Khamarov.**

* * *

Astrid opened the door to Ms Hana's tea shop, and was surprised to see that it was pretty much empty. _Great, _she thought, _no one will over hear us then. _She went over to her favorite chair and asked one of the people who was on duty for a cup of tea. And that's when Ms Hana came out. She saw the upset face of her favorite little customer and immediately told her employee to run for the hills, basically. Ms Hana put a hand on Astrid's shoulder and have her a reassuring smile. She'd never admit it, but Astrid was overwhelmed by the niceness of the older woman. She was always so kind and willing to lend an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on. And Astrid was ever so grateful for it. She returned the older woman's smile.

"What's the matter Kotomi?" Ms Hana asked curiously. She had never really seen the young girl upset. Sure, she had seen her bored and unwilling to talk with anyone. Or even angry, she had a front row seat in watching Astrid get angry by a certain black haired blue eyed boy who went by the name, Kazuya Shibuya. But Ms Hana had never ever seen the young girl upset like she was at the moment. Maybe something had happened.

After taking a deep breath, Astrid replied. "I was working with Naru and his assistant Lin, and I did something that made Naru angry. He said some stuff about what I did, like there might actually be people out there who would care if I had drowned. He was still pissed on the way back to center Tokyo and Lin made us talk to each other. I said some stuff, he said some stuff and then I left them to it. But Hana-san, I said that it wouldn't matter whether I had died because no one would be suffering because of me. I then went on to say that he might be happier if I wasn't in his life and that it would be easy to forget my name. Which he answered with a 'maybe'. That hurt me, Hana-san, it hurt so much."

"Oh Kotomi," Ms Hana sighed as she brought the girl into her arms. She let the girl cry before making her a cup of her favorite earl grey tea. "You know, I think he got angry because he was worried about you and deep down, he cares. Kotomi, believe it or not, but that is what I truly think about what happened. Things like this happen a lot of the time, don't worry yourself. It was just a silly little fight, you'll get over it. And you'll get over it. Trust me on this one. I know what I am talking about."

Astrid gave a dry laugh. "You sound like you're saying Naru and I are together, Hana-san. Do I need to remind you that we met only days ago and no, we are not together? You know I think that I do! You are so forgetful sometimes." She said with a small smile. "But I don't think we'll get over it. Because of what I said afterwards. I told him some of the things I had been through, not in detail, only vaguely. But it should have been enough to understand why I said what I did about me being better off dead."

Ms Hana gave another sigh. "Kotomi, you might believe that but Shibuya-san and I have the same opinion here. Someone will care that you have died. What about your parents? Kotomi? I'm sure they would care. Shibuya-san cares even though he might not show it. I care, your my best costumer and sometimes I have to remind myself that you are not my daughter. That's how much you mean to me. A mother always cares if their daughter had been in an accident or even died."

"Not all mothers, Hana-san." Astrid says sadly. "Not all mothers."

"What could you possibly mean? That your mother doesn't care if you died? Preposterous! Of course she would." Ms Hana says. Astrid sighs before speaking. "Hana-san, my mum died a long time ago and she blamed me as to the reason why my biological father didn't stay with her even though she knows it isn't true. She neglected me as a child, as far as I can remember. Although that isn't much. I lost my memories before the age of seven, lost them on my birthday, I did. After my house went up in flames. And then I moved in with the neighbors. I thought she was a very nice woman and I began to love her sons as my own brothers even though I didn't get along with the eldest. I started to call my neighbor _mother _and she even considered me her daughter. But then her youngest got into a bit of mess. I did something to make him go a little insane. He didn't take that all too well and couldn't tolerate being in the same room as me."

Astrid takes a deep breath before continuing. She wipes a stray tear from her cheek. "And then one day after visiting my mum's grave and having her tell me that she doesn't want to see my face ever again, I go back to my new home. But then the youngest is there. He runs out of the room and I follow him in hope that he would just talk to me for one second. He ran to the highest floor to get away from me, near the huge window on the landing. It was open and he was climbing out. I grabbed him and tried to stop him from falling. Just as I lost my grip, mother came up the stairs to see what was going on. And in her eyes, I had just dropped her precious son out of the window and let him fall to his death. Of course, that wasn't what happened. But that was what she though, and so her and her eldest treated me horribly. So much so that years later, they wouldn't give me my food and drink. I had to get it for myself. And then mother kicked me out. I lost all contact with her but she probably still hates me. She wouldn't listen to my side of the story."

Ms Hana stares at the young girl in astonishment. She wondered how a mother could behave like that to her own daughter and how a woman could treat a young girl like that. It was an absolutely awful thing to do. "Oh Kotomi. I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me any of this before? We could have talked about it. Talking always makes people feel even a little bit better."

"Some things are either too personal or aren't worth sharing, Hana-san. I'm a curse. No one would want to be anywhere near me if they knew what I was capable of doing or had done to those around me. I'm surprised, Hana-san, that you haven't left me yet. Knowing how people react to such things..."

"I wouldn't leave you Kotomi. Never... Why would you say that?" Ms Hana asks. Astrid looked her dead in the eye. "Because I have been deceiving people from day one of meeting them, Hana-san. You included. All because of my selfish reasons. If people knew where I was, then I would be on the news all of the time. People would pry into those years I went _missing _and try and get information out of me. I don't want that, so I don't tell people these things."

"What things Kotomi?" Ms Hana asks curiously. She was wondering a lot of things about the girl before her. Astrid ignores that last question, "Tell me Hana-san. Can you tell me anything of a person named Astrid Blake? She was born in Scotland, that I know. But that's it. And I'm rather curious as to why she is famous. Do you know anything about this girl?"

Ms Hana grins, "I know a fair bit. Astrid Blake was indeed born in Scotland in a place called Broxburn. She was born into a wealthy lifestyle with only a mother to rely on. Astrid had these powers, called PK among other things. She was famous for them. She saved so many people just by using her abilities and she was admired and adored my lots of people. She had the best tutors in all subjects, even martial arts. But it was rumored that she prefers boxing. Astrid's father, David Blake, was where all of the money had came from. He was a world famous pianist but he put that on hold to become a doctor. He gave his child's mother a lot of money to give his child a great life. He didn't want her to be in the spotlight, like he was. But she was anyway and he couldn't stop it. Astrid's mother was suffering from depression and wasn't very reliable as a mother, so she hired many nannies to look after her daughter. But they were too frightened of Astrid, so all of them ended up quitting."

Ms Hana stopped to take a breath, "When Astrid turned four, there was no one else out there that would look after her so she relied upon herself. Her childhood had disappeared within four years of her life. She was too smart for her own good though. Four years old and she had the IQ the same as Einstein's and then as she turned five, it was even more. Astrid was great at fighting, she was a quick runner, she had all these abilities, people respected her as an adult and not the child she actually was. And then come her seventh birthday, herself and her mother got into an accident at home. Her mother died and Astrid barely made it out alive. She did but she lost her memories, apparently. And then that is where my knowledge stops. She has been missing all this time and no one knows where she is or what she has become. There were so many rumors about her, that she died, that she went insane. It angered and upset some people but they learned to live with it. Sometimes I do stop and wonder where she is-"

Astrid stood up and excused herself, she went into the bathroom. Leaving her phone and keys on the table for Ms Hana to look after. Ms Hana's eyes flicked to the phone as it beeped. There was a message. She picked up the phone and looked at what it said. She was sure that _Kotomi_ wouldn't mind. She read it and looked confused. _What is this text about? I'm confused, _she thought. At that moment, Astrid walked back in and sat down. Ms Hana passed her the phone and she read it with a small smile on her face. It said:_ ɪ'ᴍ sᴏʀʀʏ, Asᴛʀɪᴅ. - Nᴀʀᴜ._

"Can you explain this to me, Kotomi?" Ms Hana asked the girl before her. Astrid smiled a true smile, "Thanks for telling me about myself, Hana-san. I enjoyed listening. Maybe I will visit David later, apologize for walking out on him the other day. Maybe I'll find out why he left my mum. One deserves to know, don't you think? Hana-san? I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone. Keep this our little secret."

"H-how... How can you be her? T-this doesn't make much sense!" Ms Hana exclaims. "How do I really know you are her?"

"Well, it's your choice if you don't want to believe me. Ask me something only Astrid would know, if you want." Astrid says standing up. She put her keys in her pocket and and put her phone in her bag. She was still smiling. She was just happy that she got all of that off her chest. If Ms Hana chose not to believe anything she says about her real name, then so be it.

"Show me something that only Astrid would have. Like a picture of her and her mother or something like that." Ms Hana said eying the girl suspiciously. Astrid reached into her bag and took out a passport. On the front it said Asᴛʀɪᴅ Bʟᴀᴋᴇ and inside was obviously a picture of the said girl and all of the places she had been. She passed it to Ms Hana who took it almost eagerly.

"Do you remember me telling you all of those places I have been? Ireland? Australia? Germany? Along with the others? Well, if you look at the page where they stamp, you can see for yourself. And the picture several pages in. It's all the proof you should need, Hana-san. Unless you need more..."

Astrid watched as Ms Hana flicked through the passport, she had an amused look on her face. John had acted similar. He had questioned her only things that Astrid would know and then asked for some sort of picture for him to see. Which was then when she showed him her passport. Lin was different. Lin already knew who she was when he saw her. Astrid still had yet to find out how he knew, though. Perhaps one of his shiki? Or maybe it was a lucky guess.

"It really is you," Ms Hana said as she looked from the picture to the girl. "Well that was unexpected."

Astrid smiled, took back the passport and left. Leaving Ms Hana flabbergasted as she watched the young girl go home. _Probably to sleep, _she mused, _that girl loves her sleep._

* * *

_"Watch me f*cking starve then!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I was arguing with 'mother' again. She refused to give me my meals, snacks or even water. We'd been fighting for a week now and I've barely made it through. If I hadn't of 'killed' Tom then she wouldn't be like this. If she hadn't of walked up the stairs at that very moment that I lost my grip on him then… If she hadn't of dismissed every form of apology I had tried to spoon feed her, then maybe… Then maybe, it wouldn't be like this between the two of us._

_'Mother' and I would still be on good terms. And I wouldn't have to scavenge the house when no one was there to search for money I could by meals with. But no one was ever out of the house; they didn't trust me at all. Some family they are! Well, they all did think I killed their youngest son, Tom, and I do swear to 'mother' every time we speak. It was only right that they held a grudge against me, but that didn't me they could starve me, did it? No, it didn't. _

_I watched as 'mother' glared back and she raised a hand to me. The woman had never raised her hand to anyone, not even to me. But she did today. And man, it hurt! I glared back at her, clutching my cheek as I did._

_"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU MURDERER!" She screamed back at me. I stared at her in astonishment. She had never raised her voice to me either. And she had waited several years until she did it too. I was eight when the incident occurred, I'm almost fourteen now. About half a year and then it would be my birthday, the eighth year anniversary of my mum's death._

_I did as I was told and left the house. I didn't say goodbye or anything as such. I just left, rented a place a town over until I had enough money to board a plane. I don't know where I was going to go, but I sure as hell wasn't going to stay in Scotland._

* * *

I awoke suddenly, my hand resting on my cheek where the woman had hit me. It still hurt even today as I thought back on it. Sighing, I reached for the phone as its annoying melody ringed in my ears. I looked at the caller ID and frowned. That number wasn't on my phone and I didn't recognize it. But I knew that it was an English number, that thing I was absolutely sure of.

"Hello?" I said in English.

"Astrid, this is your mother. I want you to come home this instance and help me out. William and I need as much as help as we can get. You hear me? I want you on the first plane to Scotland from wherever the hell you are. Okay?" A woman said. Her voice seemed awfully familiar but I couldn't quite pin point who it was at all. I listened with my mouth agape. Who the hell does this woman think she is? Ringing at the crack of dawn, calling herself my mother and demanding me to return to Scotland. "Excuse me but may I ask who is speaking?"

"You just did, darling." The person said in such a bittersweet voice that it made your insides want to hurl. I suddenly frowned upon recognition. Why was my fill-in-mother calling me at the crack of dawn after four years of no contact and demanding that I return _home _to Scotland?

"Sorry Ms Abernathy, but why do you wish for my presence?" I ask in a calm tone even though I was ready to rip a wall to shreds.

"Don't you use that tone with me, young lady!" She said. _What bloody tone?! _"Astrid you are to get the first flight over to Broxburn so that you can help Will and I with something in your field of work. It seems that Tommo is acting up again. I hat to admit it, but we need the help of his murderer." I cringed and my mouth twitched as Ms Abernathy's words brought back unnecessary memories. I stopped for a moment, "What do you mean _again_?"

"Well, he has been acting up for years. He's becoming insane, Astrid. I- Will and I, we need your help. He's been throwing things around the place, of a night we hear him cry. He's not the same Tommo we all know and love. He needs help, Astrid and you are one of the only people that I know who can help him move on with life."

Her tone was so desperate, so needing. That I almost found myself booking the flight, but I stopped myself for a while longer. Why should I after how she's treated me? I know I was at fault too, but why should I help her? _The guilt Astrid, the guilt, _I heard that annoying voice say. Sighing, I said "What time do you want me there for?"

I inwardly cursed myself for agreeing but whenever she pleads, I can never say no. "Tomorrow morning at the latest," She said. I nod even though she can't see. "Okay, Mrs Abernathy. I will see you and your son, William Abernathy, in the next twenty four hours. Have a nice day."

I hung up and then groaned. Why did I say yes? Why, oh bloody why?! _I thought I told you, Astrid. The guilt. _'And I thought I told you to shut the hell up, or weren't you listening?' Sighing, I got dressed and started to pack as quickly as possible. I have a dead line plus Naru and Lin need to know that I will be leaving SPR for a week at most. I figured that I would tell them on the way to the airport, maybe I would even be cheeky and ask Lin for a ride.

I did a triple check over all of my things and then locked the house. I tied my hair up in a ponytail and started to make my way over to where Naru and Lin were staying, dragging my suitcase behind me. I made it quicker than I thought, but I stopped when I saw them putting suitcases in the van. Well, Lin was putting them in the van, Naru was upfront reading a book on parapsychology. I frowned, in deep thought. If they were going on a case, they would have told me. If they were going back to England, they would have told me. If they were going anywhere, they probably would have told me.I wonder where they are actually going.

"Astrid?" I heard Lin call as I went up to the van. "What are you doing here with a suitcase? Noll and I were just about to drive over and pick you up. Did Noll call you or something?" I frowned again, what do you mean Lin? I was just going to tell you that I was going to Scotland for a week at most. I'm helping my folks out with a little ghost problem."

"What a coincidence," I heard Lin mutter as I saw Naru get out of the van and bark at Lin to hurry up. But he froze for a moment when he saw me standing there. "What are you doing here? He asked walking over to me and Lin. I shrugged, "I'm spending the week in Scotland helping my folks out with a problem."

Naru nods slowly. "And who are your folks? As far as I knew, you only had a dad and he was here in Japan."

"The people I lived with when the fire destroyed my home. It turns out that they are having a little problem with a ghost and the Mrs rang me up this morning to see whether I could help her or not. So here I am. Where are the two of you going with your suitcases?"

"Noll and I were going to catch a plane to Scotland ourselves, as a matter of fact. We were going to ask you to join us, but it looks like you'll be busy yourself." Lin says opening the door to the van and climbing up. "Would you like us to give you a life to the airport. Might as well."

I nod, "Sure thing Lin. I was going to ask you anyway!"

"I just saved you the trouble," Lin said as I climbed into the van next to Naru. I was on the end this time and I wanted to go back to sleep, really. After that talk with Hana-san yesterday, I just got rather tired. And this dream that I have been having recently isn't helping me. For once, I just wish for a dreamless sleep. I closed my eyes as Lin started to drive off. I wanted to sleep now so that I didn't fall asleep on the plane. I don't think they will appreciate me screaming and crying because of a dream.

"Astrid it's not worth falling asleep now," I heard Lin say. "We are almost there, about a quarter of an hour before we get there."

I lean my head on something soft, no bothering to open my eyes. The thing I was leaning on stiffened when I touched it but immediately relaxed after wards. _That's _o_dd_, I thought. But I ignored that and drifted off anyway. I was too tired to fight against it...


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Hope you all enjoyed that chapter. More was discussed about Astrid and in such an odd way. As _neko-chan _said in her review, imagine being in Hana-san's position. Wouldn't that be funny! I actually had to stop and think when I was writing that. Hehe :) Thanks to anyone that read, reviewed, followed or favorited. It is appreciated an awful lot.

**Glossary:** _Nitcht _means No in German. _Nigh _in Scottish means No. _Wee _in Scottish means small (Just thought you would like to know the words that I use...)

**Disclaimer: **I most certainly do not own Ghost Hunt

* * *

**Chapter eleven**

_**"Home is where the heart is... what a load of rubbish!"**_

* * *

I was shaken awake by the van suddenly pulling to an abrupt stop. I opened my eyes to see that we were in a car park right next to a airport. It was about midday and I was still really tired. Throwing that thought aside, I sat up and glanced over at Naru and Lin. Naru was reading a book and Lin was already climbing out of the van and getting the suitcases from the back. I groaned, got out of the van and stretched. I sighed and grabbed my suitcase from Lin. I went inside the airport, leaving the other two behind. They're smart enough to know where they are going. They don't need my help.

I glanced around the place, in search of flights to the UK. Finally finding the specific area, I walked up to the front desk. The woman on duty was typing on her computer. As soon as I had come, she glanced up, finished typing on her computer and asked me what place I wanted to go to. "The earliest flight to Scotland, Broxburn, East Lothian please," I said.

"Make that three tickets," Someone said behind me. I was about to give that person a piece of my mind (there's no way I am paying for three tickets!) but then to my surprise, it was Naru and Lin. The lady at the desk nodded, giving us the three tickets. "Here," She said. "Three seats together. Row B, left side. The flight leaves in about half an hour so I suggest you make your way onto the plane now."

I nodded and gave her a fake smile, "Why thank you for that. You know, I didn't think of that at-"

"Come on Astrid," Naru said in my ear, he grabbed my arm and steered me away from the annoying lady before I did anything too drastic. I didn't fancy having huge security guards chasing me through the airport as I used my PK to throw things at them in a chance to escape, so I decided to let Naru guide me to where are plane was taking off. Lin followed behind us in amusement (I could just tell) as we presented our passports and tickets to yet another irritating woman.

"Hello, thank you for boarding with Vir-" She began but I cut her off by dragging Naru off this time and muttering curses under my breath. Lin, I could just tell, was biting back a laugh at my strange antics. But I didn't care, I just wanted to get on the plane and over to Scotland so that I can leave Scotland as soon as possible. It was a sturdy plan, I'll give you that. The three of us boarded the plane and found our seats. Thankfully, the plane was almost empty and I could chill. Maybe even fall asleep if the guys in the back don't mind screaming sleepers. But something tells me that they do.

I had the seat nearest to the window, Naru was in the middle and Lin was at the end, so he was the one to deal with the stupid air hostesses. I almost smiled at that thought but then glared at the chair in front of me. Who ever was sat there was too damn noisy. "Calm down Astrid. It's just someone playing their silly game." Lin said to me in English. I tried to calm down but that person suddenly peered over their chair and stared at me. "Did someone say Astrid? As in _The _Astrid Blake?!"

I tried to look confused, I raised an eyebrow at the person and put on a thick German accent, "Nicht... N-no engle... englash... English. Nitcht English."

I felt so relieved when he grunted and sat back down. Naru and Lin looked at me with curious expressions. They both had small smirks on their faces and one eyebrow raised. "W-what yo lookin' at?" I ask in the same German accent. They smile at this and shake their heads in disbelief. I let a small smile grace my lips as I look out of the window. This was going to be a long ride.

* * *

The plane ride was long but thankfully the taxi ride into town was rather short. After we had arrived in Broxburn I had left Naru and Lin to do whatever it is they were here to do and then I asked for a cab. I got in and was happily watching the scenery when I saw my old 'home' coming up. Unnecessary memories flooded through my mind and my mood worsened. I rubbed my forehead, feeling a headache coming along.

"Oi kid, we're here. Get out of the cab, I have several more pick ups to do." The driver said as he stopped outside of my old home. I paid him and climbed out of the taxi, almost tripping over my own feet as I pulled along my suitcase. I heard a few little kids laughing at me so I told them to shut up as I passed by. But the funny thing was, I was still using my thick German-English accent so thye looked at me like I was a lunatic. _If only they knew,_ I thought, _If only they knew._

I was about to knock on the door but stopped when I heard a car pulling up, mumbles of gratitude and footsteps coming up behind me. I turned around to see none other than Naru and Lin lugging their suitcases up the driveway. I froze when I saw them, as they did me. What are they doing here?! Did Mrs Abernathy call them both too? Was I not enough? After all that pleading she did on the phone at the crack of dawn... The three of us just kind of stared at each other before Naru broke the silence. "The person I spoke to yesterday over the phone is most likely one of your 'folks'. Is her surname Abernathy?"

I nod in reply, a hint of jealousy rising in me. Why would she ring complete strangers instead of her fill-in-daughter? Oh wait, was it because I had killed their precious son Ewan 'Thomson' Abernathy, better known as Tommo? "Hang on a sec," I say. "Did she call you as Oliver Davis or Kazuya Shibuya?"

"Oliver Davis." He said shaking his head slightly. "But what I would like to know his how she got a hold of my number in the first place."

I let out a humorless laugh. "Same here. The phone I have now is only a few months old and I would never randomly give out my number especially to someone ad the likes of her. I've never called her and she has never called me until today, so she couldn't have come across it at all. Unless John sold me out... but he's never do that to me. Anyway, let's get a move on, eh? I don't want her to shout. Trust me, you'll be having to buy medication for bleeding ear drums."

I suddenly felt really nervous as I knocked on the door. I could feel the beads of sweat on my forehead. I quickly wiped them away as the door was being unlocked. When the door had opened, a young man in his twenties stood there. He had a ring on his finger, messy blond hair and dull grey eyes. He looked very familiar, had I seen him somewhere before? Maybe. "Will?" I gasped in recognition.

"Nice of you to make it here Mr Davis, Mr Lin... Little sis." Will said. "Why don't you come in? Mother's just put the kettle on." He rested his eyes on me. I saw deep dark emotion swirling in the depths of his eyes and I wanted to tunr around and board the next flight back to Japan. Hatred. So much hatred. That's what I felt when he set his gaze on me. Ignoring this feeling, I walked into the room and immediately collapsed to my knees. I was hearing and seeing things. A vision of the past:

_"Astrid! Astrid!" _I watched as Tommo was raging around the living room, throwing things here and there in frustration. Tears were flooding down his cheeks as he was yelling and crying. The scene changed, and I was watching 'mother' and I having an argument. There were voices in the background. _"Astrid! Astrid!" _Mother raised her hand and then she hit me. There were cries in the background and yells of protest. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU MURDERER!" Mother yelled. _"She's not a murderer!" _I heard Tom sob, _"She isn't a murderer." _And then I watched as the me of the past ran out of the house and mother fell to her knees with tear running down her face. She was mumbling murderer over and over. _"SHE'S NOT A MURDERER!" _I heard Tommo yell as the vision faded out.

"Astrid are you alright?!" I heard Naru say. He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me to my feet. Lin was on the other side of me, checking my temperature. I nodded sheepishly and pushed them away. I wasn't in the mood to be mollycoddled. Not after seeing that anyway. How could I not have heard poor little Tom when I was having that argument? Why didn't I hear him in the first place? Was I not yet in tune with the spiritual world back then?

"She probably remembered something about Tommo and had murderous intent," Will muttered but we all heard it. I only wish Naru and Lin hadn't, but they were bound to find out the truth sooner or later. They stared at me questioningly. I swallowed hard as they looked at me, waiting for an answer. I didn't know what to say but _luckily _for me we had Will to do that instead. "Oh, didn't you know?" He said. "The reason why she left Broxburn was because she killed a little boy and mother threw her out. She was a few years late in doing so, but she was kicked out nonetheless. To our utter happiness! Ain't that right, little sis?"

"I glared icily at my _dear older brother _before replying. "Nigh," I said, my voice rising higher. "That's not true. But you and the woman wouldn't listen to what I had to say at all. You just ignored my failed attempt to explain as well as any form of apology I tried to give you!"

"An apology wouldn't bring my brother back! It wouldn't bring him back, Astrid! It's far too late for apologies. I don't care what story you have made up, it's too late to fix and it won't matter anyway. Tommo is our main priority right now so stop living in the past and help him move on, would yeh? You can nigh all yer want about this and that, just get your job done and leave already. I don't care about anything else. Do yer bloody job and do it quick. I'm tired of yer face."

It was a good thing that he felt that way because I had moved away and was walking into the kitchen away from the blasted man. I was tired of his face too. I stopped in my tracks as I saw Mrs Abernathy pouring several cups of tea. She turned around and saw me, her face fell instantaneously. She was angry and upset, but she was also relieved when she saw me. Oh great, so Tom was the only reason why she wanted me here, not for anything else. I could have gone to hell for all she cared, and she wouldn't have batted an eyelash. "Ah Astrid... you're here at last. Welcome home." I noticed that she had to choose her words carefully and she visibly twitched when she said the last. She didn't mean it then. That's nice to know.

"Thanks Mrs Abernathy," I said not meeting her gaze whatsoever. I couldn't, just couldn't look into her eyes. Not after looking into Will's. I did not want to see the same hatred and pain I had seen in his eyes. I think that I would break even more if she had the same look in her eyes.

"Bring this tea out to the others, would yer? That's a good lass." She said handing me a tray with five cups of tea on it. I took it and walked out of the room with the woman following behind me. I stopped when I saw Will talking to Naru and Lin. What in hell's name was he telling them?! Will immediately stopped talking when he saw me glaring at him. His face paled. Oh god, what has he said?!

"Tea anyone?" Mrs Abernathy said pushing me down on the couch. The tea almost spilled but luckily I caught the tray and steadied it. "Careful Mrs Abernathy!" I half said half yelled. She gave me a pointed look before grabbing a tea cup and taking a long sip. She was ignoring me. I took a cup for myself and raised it to my lips before stopping. My own face paled and my hands were shaking slightly. I must be hearing things. _No Astrid, you're not. Listen. _I did as the voice said and listened. My hands grew shakier.

_"Astrid! Astrid! Oh, it's really you Astrid! I'm so glad that you're home!"_ It was him. Dear little Tommo was talking to me and he saounded rather happy for a dead guy. Why did Mrs Abernathy lie to me like that? Tom seems just fine. He sounds just like he did when he was normal and alive, not insane and about to die. I smiled and said his name quietly. He laughed a musical laugh that brought tears to my eyes. He laughed some more and then I felt something cold on my shoulder. It felt like a hand but when I looked at my shoulder, there was nothing there. I turned to face the invisible ghost, "Now Tom." I said quietly. "Why haven't you moved on at all? What's keeping you?"

I felt the hand on my shoulder leave and so did Tom. The room went back to its original temperature and there were no ghosts. Why did he just leave like that? He didn't tell me anything! "Astrid?" I heard Mrs Abernathy say. "Were you talking to him? Tommo? Can you really do that? Oh please Astrid, ask him how he is doing. Tell him hello for me. Just a wee favor."

I turn to face the Mrs and frown at her. Why did she want that? I thought she knew already what he was like. His condition I mean. "Mrs Abernathy," I say. "You were lying to me. Tom is doing just fine. He's not insane at all. He was rather happy that I was here, actually..."

"Now, why would Tommo be happy to see his murderer? It's doesn't add up," Will said rubbing his chin in thought. "Nigh, it doesn't William." I agree. "No one would be happy to see their murderer. But it just so happens that Tom wasn't murdered-"

"What do you mean he wasn't bloody murdered?" Will yells. "Mother saw you with her own eyes. You killed him, yer did. So nigh denying it!"

"And what did she see William?!" I yell back. "An eight year old kid trying to push her older brother out of the window? Or how about an eight year old trying to use her powers to do it instead? Is that what she saw? 'Cause it is so bloody far from the truth! When yer ready to hear the whole truth come knockin' because I'll be more than happy to tell you!"

The room went quiet after that. Lin and Naru looked around the room awkwardly. Will sat there glaring at me but he also looked a little shocked at my sudden outburst. And Mrs Abernathy, well she was staring at me waiting for me to crack. I just sat there waiting for something to happen. Anything... I just wanted the silence to end. It was driving me a tad bit insane. I'm surprised that no one has said anything actually, usually Will would have come back with a retort or Mrs- hang on, why are they all looking behind me? I turn around to see Tommo smiling at me, he's ignoring Will and his mother. I shrug it off, he must have a good enough reason. _"Astrid! Come and play with me outside like we used to!"_

I grin back at him, "Of course Tom. Just like we used to." I set the tray of tea down to the side and stand up, but the voice is telling me to turn to my right. I do as it says and see Mrs Abernathy looking up at me with a desperate look on her aging face. Oh, I get it. She wants me her what he is saying. "If you must know, Tom and I are going out back to play. I hope that's not against the rule book." I say with such venom. I move away from the quivering woman and go quickly outside. Tommo was already there and waiting. He was swinging on the old tyre swing and smiling to himself.

"Tom," I call. He immediately looks up and widens his grin. I go over to him and sit beside him on the old tyre. We used to do this a lot before he doubted the fact that I had PK. We sit in silence for a while, enjoying the peace. "I bet you believe me now when I say that I have powers." I say sadly. I see him nod. "I'm sorry Tom. I didn't mean for it to get that bad to the point where you got scared of me. But I'm glad you're not suffering anymore. The only problem I have now, is the fact that you haven't moved on. Seriously, what's keeping you?"

"Mother like you anymore, does she? Because of me, it's my fault." He says as my mouths falls open. He can't be serious! Is that the reson why he hasn't moved on? He thinks that me and his mother aren't getting along because of him? "Ewan Thomson Abernathy! Don't you dare thing like that. It's not your fault. It's mine really. I was making it worse. Don't worry about a thing. We'll make up soon, I can feel it."

"Really?!" He says suddenly grinning again. I nod and laugh at his change of mood. Nine years on and he is still the same ten year old kid I knew. "Yes Tom, I know so. Don't worry about a thing. You're little sister has got this one for you."

"Thanks Astrid..." And then I was left alone swinging on the old tyre. I wonder how I am going to make up with Mrs Abernathy. She is hell bent on kicking me out of the house once I have helped Tom pass on. I think the only way for her to make up with me is to tell her the truth about nine years ago. But somehow I don't think that she will just sit and listen. Plus, there is explaining to Naru and Lin why Will keeps calling me a murderer. I hope they still talk to me afterwards, I don't know what Will was telling them but I know it was nothing good.

I'm on a ledge and I need someone to talk me off before I jump into a pit of misery and full on depression. Too bad that the people that could do are the ones looking at me like I am a lunatic. There aren't that many people out there and pretty soon, I may actually jump. Naru would be mad again, god knows why, and Lin will probably give me a stern talking to after he had located my ghost. You know, I think I will haunt them. Naru and Lin. That way I would never be alone again. I'd like that. To never be alone again... I hate being alone, it's my worse fear in life.

* * *

_**Snippet of an upcoming chapter (possible rewrite)  
**_

* * *

The door opened and the three of them were ushered inside. Their wet coats thrown on the radiator, hot cups of tea pushed into their cold hands and the smell of a nice home made meal filled the aroma. It was nice. For the three of them had just been on another long plane ride for more than three hours and were so tired that they had to fight sleep in order to keep their eyes open. To fall asleep there and then would be rude, especially since a nice bubbly woman had just offered them great hospitality.

The oldest of the three sighed. To be perfectly honest, he wasn't even sure why he was there with the other two. He felt like he was intruding on personal grounds and quite frankly, he felt uncomfortable. You see, the two teens sat with him had this weird thing going on and they had yet to realize it - much to their family's dismay, a certain someone was after grandchildren and she feared that she would never receive them.

The youngest male of the group, felt right at home. Seeing as this was his actual home. But there was something different about it. _She _was here, and so the young male felt even more so relaxed around his rather loud mother and father. His mother, the nice bubbly woman, was currently talking to the female of the trio and it made him feel... _happy? _He didn't know what this feeling was but he let a small smile grace his lips as he watched the two talk. It was a pretty scene. For the young male and female that is. Both for different reasons. The male's, well you have probably guessed that already. And the female's, well she was feeling true happiness at that very moment. Something she had never really felt before. She finally felt like she was wanted.

"Did you have a nice trip, dear?" The older woman asked the younger.

She smiled happily, "Oh yes Mrs Davis. I loved it! Thanks for taking me in for the week, I really appreciate the hospitality. I hope I won't be a hindrance."

"Nonsense, dear! And call me mum. Or mother. I'd like that a lot." Mrs Davis said while taking a sip of her tea. She gave the younger female a warm smile.

"How about _Ma? _You see, I already have people by the name of mum and mother. I want this to be different, so _Ma _it is then." She said.

"_Ma _it is then, Astrid. Welcome to my home!" Mrs Davis said just as her husband walked into the room.


	12. Chapter 12

AN: I thank you all for reading my story. It's been a good eleven chapters. So here, I present the twelfth chapter. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I am never going to own the likes of Ghost Hunt -_-

* * *

**Chapter twelve**

_**"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person, give him a mask and he will tell you." - Oscar Wilde**_

* * *

Naru approached Astrid slowly, as she was swinging on the tyre swing and humming to herself. He wanted to find the truth about this whole thing. He was confused to say the least. William had told him that Tom had died at her hands, so therefore she had murdered him. But Astrid had said that they didn't know the truth and that Tom was indeed killed but not murdered. When he had seen Tom a short while ago, he had a grin on his pale face as he looked at his _little _sister with admiration. But someone would not look at their murderer like that, even if they were family or sorts. So that makes him believe that it must of been an accident that just looked different from the truth, or that young Tom had a death wish and he was happy that he had died. But then, if that were the case, why hadn't he moved on? Naru was stumped on that one. He needed some help, dare he admit it, and Astrid was the only one he was willing to go to.

_They were summoned from the hillside_  
_They were called in from the glen,_  
_And the country found them ready_  
_At the stirring call for men.  
__Let no tears add to their hardships_  
_As the soldiers pass along,_  
_And although your heart is breaking_  
_Make it sing this cheery song._

So off he went to find the troublesome girl and found her humming a beautiful melody as he stood somewhat close to the old tyre swing. He stopped himself from smiling and continued on over to her. Sitting beside Astrid, he stared at the girl, wondering what to say. He didn't want to hurt her feelings but he also needed answers, and Naru was a very blunt man to be perfectly honest with you. So whatever words came out of his mouth would either get the girl angry, sad, or even crying. He liked making her happy, for some _odd _reason, and even if he tried to comfort her in this dismal time he didn't know where to begin. He sat for a moment trying to string together a few words. But thinking of nothing, he ran a hand though his hair and hummed the next verse of the song that she was singing. He was starting to learn that song, it was rather catchy. And it just so happens that he was more alert when a particular person was around him.

___Keep the home fires burning,  
__While your hearts are yearning,_  
_Though your lads are far away_  
_They dream of home._  
_There's a silver lining_  
_Through the dark clouds are shining,  
Turn the dark cloud inside out  
'Til the boys come home_._  
_

Astrid smiled after hearing him hum, it was a song she favored for some peculiar reason. It was an old war song that she heard someone sing whenever she thought back to her childhood before the age of seven. Remembering no images of her life, just that simple song that brought a smile to her face. She did stop and wonder sometimes, though. Where had she heard it from? Her mum? Something argues against it. Her mother? Mrs Abernathy couldn't sing to save her life! Even though they were neighbors, they had never really spoken until they were living with one another. Her biological father? Possibly... He was a pianist after all. He was into music. But she was rarely around him. They met three times, for goodness sake! Astrid was at a loss. She didn't know where she had heard that song.

_Overseas there came a pleading,  
"Help a nation in distress."  
And we give our glorious laddied  
Honour bade us do no less_,  
_For no gallant son of freedom_  
_To a tyrant's yoke should bend,  
And a noble heart should answer  
To the sacred call of "Friend."_

Naru was humming along side her too, absentmindedly. He didn't even realize until he saw her grinning at him. Fighting back a unnecessary emotion, he asked her what he wanted to know all along. About the truth nine years ago. He wanted to know because, it mattered to him. He wanted to know, because he thought it might make her feel better to get it off her chest. He wanted to know, because he was at a loss for words. He wanted to know, because it mattered to her. If it mattered to her, pray and tell, it mattered to him. He just wasn't going to tell anybody that. Not her. Not Lin. Not his own mother. Not even himself.

_Keep the home fires burning,  
____While your hearts are yearning,_  
_Though your lads are far away_  
_They dream of home._  
_There's a silver lining_  
_Through the dark clouds are shining,  
Turn the dark cloud inside out  
'Til the boys come home_.

"Can I ask you something of my own Naru?" Astrid asks him, watching the from the corner of her eye. She wanted to know this desperately, and in order to find out what she wanted to know she had to ask. "When you find out the truth, what will you do? Will you become distant with me? Never speak to me again? Fire me from SPR? Or will you do the opposite... Will you stay with me?" He looked her dead in the eyes and wished he hadn't. She looked so lonely, so fragile that it almost made him feel down in the dumps. He gave her the best smile he could conjure, "I wouldn't leave you alone. You are my assistant after all, I wouldn't want to go to all the trouble in finding a new one. Not when I know I have one in the palm of my hands."

"She laughed a little at his comment, smiling sadly. "That is nice to know - not exactly what I wanted to hear - now I just have to see whether you will stick by your word... Hold still." She moved closer to the boy who froze a her sudden movements. His heart was racing, he just chose to ignore that small fact to my bemusement. She was getting closer until their noses were almost touching. Naru swallowed hard as he fought back yet another storm of unnecessary emotions, all he could do was stare awkwardly into her green eyes. She moved that bit closer until their foreheads were touching, and then her eyes closed. "Watch," She whispered as they lapsed into a vision of the past.

Naru and Astrid were stood in the background as they witnessed the first stage of Tom's insanity. There before them was ten year old Ewan 'Thomson' Abernathy and eight year old Astrid Blake who were currently having a fist fight. Of course, Tom lost. But Astrid had decided that she would toy with him for a while. She smirked as the older of the two steps forward and went for an uppercut at his _sister's _face. She ducked and hit him in the gut as she bounced back up. Tom tumbled backwards clutching his stomach as he began to violently cough. They stopped fighting momentarily until Tom caught his breath. He had a rather poor stamina, but young Astrid chose not to mention it at that very moment considering that little 'episode' he just had.

_"Believe me now?!" _She said smugly as she watched the male stand up and dust himself off. She was enjoying the fist fight but she was growing concerned for her _brother _as he wiped some blood from his mouth. He spat on the floor and glared at her. _"All you've done is throw me about for ten minutes! Ho__w am I supposed to believe anything you say about having these powers."_

Her concern for the boy vanished and was replaced with pure anger. She scowled and bared her teeth in a threatening way. The boy didn't flinch as he was rather used to this _special treatment _she gave him as siblings. Young Astrid clenched her fists and started to pull energy from the earth. It started to hover around her, claiming objects within a few meter's radius. They shook viciously and moved around the girl who stood there with her eyes trained on her companion. He had visibly paled and was shaking himself, he had his eyes glued to the random objects that floated around.

He was frozen. No matter how much he begged his feet to move away, he stood there staring. He knew something had was going to happen if he didn't move. And yet, he waited to see what would happen. The first wrong choice of that afternoon, I suppose. The first one of that day would have been to doubt that she didn't have these 'powers'. So Tom stood there in mere shock and horror at what was about to happen. Fear spread throughout his face and he tried to move back before he got hurt but instead... everything fell on him. Young Astrid stood there in shock herself, as she cried out to her _brother _and began aimlessly digging him out of all the random things from the area.

The two teens, Naru and Astrid, watched as the scene changed. They were stood in a hospital room. Mrs Abernathy was speaking with the doctor and a nurse was giving Tom his medicine. And all of a sudden, young Astrid barged into the room panting and crying. _"Tom!" _She wailed as she ran over to him. Tommo immediately recoiled at recognition of her voice and then he went as far back away from her as the wall would let him. He was scared, and he was scared of her in particular. Fear etched across his face as he fumbled around for the edge of the blanket he was wrapped around in. His hands found the silky white material and then he buried his face in. Trying in a desperate attempt to hide from his _sister. _

Young Astrid stood there aghast as she watched her older _brother _hide away from her. She felt horrible, and before she knew it she was pleading with him and her cries echoed around the room. All attention turned to them as the two _siblings _put on a little show. Tom was still trying to move away from her. He was frightened as he squirmed about his his now wet pants. He hated to admit it, but he had soiled them. Ewan 'Thomson' Abernathy had indeed soiled his pants. He let out a muffled whimper as he buried his head further into the blanket. He was so embarrassed, but the fear and utmost horror of being in the same room with young Astrid, ruled that small emotion out.

_"What are you doing here?!" _Screeched Mrs Abernathy as she pointed an accusing finger at the young girl. Astrid turned around with her mouth hanging agape as she just registered that herself and Tom weren't the only people in the room. Mrs Abernathy moved away from the doctor and grabbed her fill-in-daughter by the ear, dragging her out of the room. The Mrs was angry, very angry indeed. _"How... How dare you come here after I gave you strict instructions to stay at home!? And how did you get here? You didn't steal the money to get a cab did you?" _Astrid flinched at her mother's tone. The little girl had gone against the rule book, so she was in need of a punishment. She would go without supper for the next week and no pocket money for the rest of the year. That was the unspoken rule book, dare to defy your guardian and get a severe punishment in return.

_"Unhand me!" _Astrid managed to yell through muffled sobs of protest. She kicked her guardian in the leg and ran back into the room where Tom was staying. The boy had finally calmed down due to the girl leaving, but then she just had to come back. Didn't she?! Tommo noticed her slipping back into the room and began to slash about furiously in his bed. _Fear. _He covered his eyes in a failed attempt to make her go away. She stood staring, and then she moved towards him and touched his arm in what she thought was a caring manner. Tommo flinched at her touch and back away ever so quickly. _Hurt. _Astrid immediately moved away from the boy with a sad look in her eyes. Why did he do that to her? All she wanted to do was make up so that they could play together again. _"Stay away from me!" _He yelled shielding his eyes from her piercing gaze. The room fell quiet. _Anger. _Astrid was at a loss. She didn't know what to do, so she ran out of the room and finally went home per her mother's request. _Lonesome._

The scene changed yet again. Tom was sat in the living room, all bandaged up and playing with a train set by himself. It was one of the only things he could do because every time he looked outside the memories of what Astrid had done came flooding back and he felt trepidation. So he was spending his play time inside, in the living room and playing with toy trains. Astrid wasn't aloud to be near him so she watched him like an overprotective parent in the background. She didn't want to startle him. She was peering through the door that was left ajar and watched as Tom sent two or three trains crashing into each other. She smiled to herself. At least he was having a good time. And then she noted that one train was moving in her direction. She began to panic. What if he saw her and freaked out?! What if he went further into that protective shell of his and never cam out again?! She didn't want that.

So what she did was move the train in the opposite direction and back to Tommo. It came to a gentle stop by lightly banging the boy's knee. He looked up startled and glared at the train. He glanced over to the door and put two and two together. His eyes widened and he immediately moved to the other side away from the train and the little girl who was watching him sadly. The boy's eyes widened a fraction when he saw her. He was utterly terrified and anyone would know it. He moved back and smashed against the wall, hitting his head a little too hard. He slipped down the wall and groaned loudly, clutching his pounding head. Astrid rushed over to him and tried to help him up but he surprised her by shoving her away and rushing out of the room. He made it to the door before he finally fell, slowly drifting into unconsciousness. _"Tom!" _She squealed a little too loudly.

After that was over, Naru and teenager Astrid found themselves at a graveyard. There they saw a little girl with bright green eyes, several scars and shoulder length black hair. She was sat beside a grave which read: ʜᴇʀᴇ ʟɪᴇs Mᴀʀʏ Bʟᴀᴋᴇ, ᴡɪғᴇ, ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴅᴇᴀʀ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ. Ah, so here be the last stage of Ewan 'Thomson' Abernathy's insanity. The two watched as little Astrid began talking to her mum, who surprisingly was talking back. _"Mum! Mum! I'm here mummy."_ Astrid's eight year old self said. _"I've come to spend some time with you beyond the grave. Isn't that nice of me?! Oh, I know it is. Hey, how about I tell you about my new mother?"_

_"Go away Astrid, I don't want you here."_ They a cold voice, preferably Mary Blake. Astrid asked her mum why. _"Because you irritate me so damn much. You're the reason David left, you little brat!"_ Astrid's eyes welled up with tears, she was hurting and it was all because of the woman she called mum. Understanding the dead woman's hatred, Astrid stood on her wobbly legs. _"I understand mum,"_ The little girl said wiping her eyes. _"I'll leave. But I may not ever visit you again. I hope you rot in hell. Ms Blake you are an unconscionably gruesome parasite and a naive buttock-rimming abomination to all the senses. I hope to never see you again"_

Eight year old Astrid ran home crying, she burst into tears. How could a mum act like that to her child?! Her own flesh and blood? She ran into the living room and sat on the couch, she didn't realize that Tommo was there. He got up and ran out of the room, his _sister _following desperately behind. The last time Tom had run off, they had found up on the tallest branch of a tree clinging on for dear life. Astrid rushed up the stairs to the furthest floor, where she found Tom about to climb out of the window. She yelled his name but that only made him more determined. The closer Astrid came, the further Tommo would go. Until one step would be his last. He took that step, closed his eyes and inhaled. And then he was falling.

Panicking, Astrid did what she knew best; used her PK. And with it, she slowly started to bring him back to the floor she was on. She was beginning to sweat as Tommo slashed about trying to free himself. Her grip was becoming harder and harder to uphold. There was footsteps. They were mother's footsteps, she was stood at the top of the stairs. Astrid's grip became looser and looser and then... there was a terrified scream from behind her as she yelled for dear little Tommo's life. He had fallen to his death.

The scene changed yet again, the second to last they would see that afternoon. There stood a fourteen year old Astrid Blake, unhealthily skinny and pale. She had filled out a little, but then became physically ill from lack of protein she had received. You see, if she wanted food or drink then she would have to go and find work in order to pay for it herself. Her 'mother' wouldn't just supply her with food or drink, she had to earn it. But who would give a fourteen year old who had no school experience (no GCSE's or A-levels, etc) a job? You guessed right! No one. It was just lucky that there was charity places where they would give her food. But not enough to live a healthy lifestyle. One day though, Astrid had had enough of all the messing around so she confronted Mrs Abernathy about it and her answer was:_ "No, I'm not going to give you it so stop asking."_

Outraged, she yelled at her. _"Watch me f*cking starve then!"_ The two had a glaring match, staring each other down. Astrid couldn't help but wonder that if she hadn't 'killed' poor little Tom, then things would be different. She would be healthy. Tom would be alive. Her mother would be nicer. She could have all three meals and not have to have less than three liters to wash herself in - that wasn't to drink, that was to wash with. And three liters wasn't nearly enough to wash a growing girl, hair and all.

Mrs Abernathy raised her hand to the young girl, smashing it against her face. She froze, mouth agape and clutching her cheek. ___"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU MURDERER!" _The Mrs yelled back at the girl. Astrid didn't say anything, she just up and left without saying a word. The door slammed and Mrs Abernathy collapsed to her knees crying mumbling "murderer" over and over. And then the scene repeated itself, but the latest addition was Tommo yelling and crying in the background.

Naru and Astrid stared into each others eyes, no one moved, no one spoke. They stayed like that for a minute, just staring. Naru was still processing all of the information. It seems that his assumption was correct, it was an accident that Tom had died. But not so much what had lead up to it in the first place. Now that he knew what had really happened, he just wondered how he was going to get Tom to pass over. He couldn't think of many reason why he would still be here, but he had a feeling it all went back to Astrid. The said girl was waiting to see a reaction from Naru. She waited for something, anything... But was met with something else instead. Warm eyes. She couldn't help but smile and try everything she could not to blush. Reluctantly, she moved slightly away from Naru and put her head on his shoulder. She was happy because, earlier, when he said he wasn't going to leave. He was telling the truth.

"I know why Tommo won't move on," Astrid says after a while. She lifts her head from Naru's shoulder and looks him in the eye. It was like she was still expecting him to change his mind and leave with a moment's notice. She wouldn't admit it but she was afraid that he and Lin would leave. Abandon her. Never speak to her again. Call her awful names because she drove someone to suicide - that counts as assisting a murder. She could go fined, thrown in prison, even put on death row. I'm sure that they would fly her over to America just to do it. The people are weird like that.

"Why?" Naru asks looking at her from the corner of his eye. He wasn't yet ready to look her in the face, not after that rather embarrassing thing that had happened between the two. It had startled him when she leaned her forehead against his, but then again... he secretly felt quite comfortable. Astrid turned to face him in the eye, as he had to suppress another set of unnecessary emotions. "He," She began. "Wnats me and his mother to make up and become mother and daughter. He was upset that she misunderstood the situation and blamed me for murdering him. That's all he wants and then he will most likely move on. But there is one thing that I don't know how to do. To make up with her. I figured that the best way to do that would be for her to find out the truth about nine years ago. However, I know she will not listen to me. But she will listen to Tom."

"And how would we do that when she is not at all psychic?" Naru mused rubbing his chin in thought. "Unless we... I think that will work. We should hold a seance so that the two may speak. That way we kill to birds with one stone. Mrs Abernathy gets to speak to her son for the last time and Tom will move on at last. That sound good to you?"

Astrid had frozen for a moment as she remembered the fire from all those years ago. Ten years now, was it? That has gone by quickly! But within those ten years, there was something she did not like to be near. "Candles..." She murmured. "Please, no candles..."

Naru looked at her curiously but agreed per her request. The procedure could work with or without candles and it didn't require a medium to act as a vessel for the spirit. By holding this kind of seance, no one was harmed and it worked like a charm. Now all they needed to do was report back to Lin and start the seance. All they could do was hope that it would be over and quickly. For all they knew, Tom could have another reason why he did not want to move on.


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Thank you to everyone that has looked at this story, reviewed followed or favourited. It's a big help :) And to the guest reviewer that really wanted something to happen with Naru and Astrid, we'll see where this chapter takes us. I'm not very good at writing romance fluff (in my opinion. My friend thinks different) so please don't get too excited but I will try. PS: Sorry for taking a short while to update, I've had a very busy few days.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ghost Hunt

* * *

**Chapter thirteen**

_**"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." - Gandhi**_

* * *

"Mrs Abernathy, we have finally came to a conclusion based on our knowledge so far. We'll help your son pass on but there is one thing to do first," Naru said taking another sip of his tea. Everyone was currently sat around the living room, waiting patiently for what the narcissist had to say. "Tom would like to tell you something but he can't do that directly, I'm afraid. However, we have discussed several ways in which the two of you plus the rest of the people in the room are able to talk freely. And that is to hold a seance. Lin is setting it up in the dining area right about now, it should be finished within the next few minutes. If you'll follow me."

Naru stood up on his feet after draining the rest of his cup, he walked away and into the room opposite. Lin had just finished setting up and was settling down in one chair nearest to the door. Astrid and Naru walked in side by side, followed by mother and son. They all took their seats. Astrid was purposely placed next to Mrs Abernathy, so that the plan could take place. Beside the young girl was Naru, who had Lin to his right. And then in between Lin and Mrs Abernathy was William. They were all ready to start the seance, some more nervous than others. As Lin began to mumbles something in another language, they all held hands and waited.

Lin wrinkled his nose as the distinct smell of an upcoming spirit filled the room and he shielded his eyes from the light source in the middle of the table; the ghost. Tom was becoming clearer and clearer. His faint outline now shone, temporarily blinding the people currently sat around the table. They let out a few groans but then they all looked up at the entity showing himself. The seance had worked. Part A of the plan had been successful, now for part B. Making Mrs Abernathy and Astrid make up.

"Tom!" His mother gasped, tears rolling down her cheeks. She was unbelievably happy to see her son again, but she tried her very hardest to control it. She didn't want to scare him away. She wanted to find out what was going on with him, why he was still here and why he was crying for his 'murderer'. She was rather curious.

But Tom ignored his mother and turned to face Astrid, a goofy grin adorning his face. His sister couldn't help but smile back as she watched him jump for joy on the dining room table. But that smile was soon wiped off her face as he turned back to his mother and told her to stop being a child. She was astounded at her son's behaviour. He wasn't usually like this! Why has he changed at all?! "T-Tom? What's the matter? Who is being a child?"

Tom gave his mum a soft glare, he couldn't stay _that _mad at her despite what she did. But he would never forgive her, not in a million years. He fixed his eyes on her, "You're the one being a child mother." He said. "Astrid wasn't at fault when we were on top of the house by the window. She didn't push me at all. In fact she was trying to save me with her PK. It was just too great a hold for an eight year old girl to possess. If I had have being saved, Astrid would have been terribly hurt and possibly even dead herself."

"W-what but she pushed you? She didn't save you, she tried to kill you!" Mrs Abernathy tried to reason but Tom wasn't having any of it. His eyes became cold and they sent shivers down his mother's back. He glared, "She did no such thing I'll have you know. Astrid was trying to save me and that's all there is to it. I may not have physically aged, mother. But I have mentally. I know the difference between murder and accidental death. So don't try saying that Astrid is or rather was, a murderer. She wasn't and still isn't. Leave the matter at rest."

"A-Astrid... I'm so sorry is that true?!" Mrs Abernathy said turning to face Astrid. She had a look or shock and surprise on her face, she felt so guilty if it were to be true. After all that she had done to the poor girl and she was in fact, innocent. Astrid faced Mrs Abernathy and gave a curt nod, she felt like her voice would betray her if she spoke. The Mrs paled in comparison to Tom, she was silently praying that her once-fill-in-daughter would ever forgive her. Then all of a sudden, a light golden glow filled the room. Tom was passing over at long last. He managed to wave a quick goodbye before leaving, bringing smiles to his family's faces.

Everyone let go of their hands and stood from their seats. Astrid turned to follow Naru from the room but she was engulfed in a hug before she could move. Two pairs of hands wrapped themselves around her middle and she silently worried for her skin. Will and his mother let go of Astrid when they noticed her being uncomfortable. "Can you ever forgive us for our mistakes?" Mrs Abernathy all but whispered.

"Forgiveness is a nice thing. Not many can earn it, lots seeks it and most have it. What is forgiven is usually well remembered. Never forget that... _Mother._" Astrid said before walking away from the pair and bumping straight into Naru. Startled, he turned around to see the girl on the floor. Suppressing a chuckle he bent down and helped her up, gripping her hands tightly. He suddenly felt overwhelmed, like his stomach was doing flips. He wasn't sure what it was, that feeling. It was new. He didn't know what it was and he certainly didn't want to find out. Pushing that aside, he patted her shoulder lightly. "Going somewhere?"

"Out." Was her reply before she closed the door to the front of the house and disappeared from their sight. Naru was mulling over several things in his head. What was up with Astrid, was there a problem? She didn't seem like she was in an okay mood, did something happen? She seemed paler than usual, was she feeling fine? Her hands were clenched so tightly that her knuckles were almost white, was she going to do something? Hit something? Go off without telling anyone and do something considered _too_ drastic, was she? _Was _she?!

* * *

**_Astrid's point of view_**

* * *

I stood on the hill overlooking the village. Phone in hand, determined look etched across my face. I was going to do it, I was going to call my dad: David Blake. I wasn't looking forward to it in the slightest. But the man deserved a chance and I needed answers to all of my questions. I know a lot but not nearly enough to go off. Before I knew it, the number had already been punched in and I was listening to the dial tone just waiting for someone to pick up. It was picked up. Swallowing hard, I took a deep breath before speaking in English. "I'd like to speak with a David Blake please."

"This is he, how might I help you?" Came his muffled reply. He seemed slightly anxious, maybe nervous and... _worried? _What was playing on his mind? I pushed that aside and answered, "This is Astrid." I said after a short while. "We need to talk and I need to give you something. An apology, if you will accept it."

There was a pause, he must be mulling things over. "Why are you apologising? I understand why you felt the way that you did. It's only natural for someone to feel that way, regardless of the situation. You let your emotions overrule your mind and so you lashed out aggressively. I do not blame you, so you shouldn't either. What else do you wish to talk about? Anything important or do you just want a good old chat with your pappy?"

I couldn't help but smile as I watched over the village, listening to David ramble. It felt nice to hear his voice, even if this man really was a stranger in my life. He was still family nonetheless; and my biological father. I sat on the grass, thinking about what I'd like to say next. "I..." I took a deep breath. "I want to get to know you better. Why you left me with her, why you chose to pursue a career as a pianist, your favourite food or colour, why you are a doctor now, just talking really. I want to get to know you better. _Dad._"

I heard him swallow and then he took another deep breath, "Astrid there are some things that I could never have told you before. Like why I was never with your mother. But now that you are older, I guess that time has come. Well you see, when Mary gave birth to you I had to leave for a year. Me being a pianist was mainly the reason. I..." He swallowed again. "The people that I worked for were not nice guys. They used me to get a large sum of money and then I caught on to what they were playing at. T-they basically tortured me in ways you don't wish to imagine, Astrid."

I rubbed my forehead in frustration. How can one bloody man get himself into a dangerous business just because he was a pianist?! He continued, "I didn't leave because I wanted to. I left because I didn't have a choice in the matter. These guys were as tough as nails and they would do anything to get what they wanted. When I heard that your mother was becoming possessive, I tried to come back to see you. She wasn't in her right mind and so I wanted to get you out. There were a few things stopping me though. The guys I worked for, and dragging you into my line of business. I couldn't do it and they wouldn't let me leave unless I agreed to do certain things. So I visited you three times in those first few years of your life."

He stopped and I pursed my lips. Just what was stopping him from finishing his talk? He had already said an awful lot, a little more would change anything. Not one thing. I closed my eyes. "There's more," I pressed. He sighed and I could imagine a slight irritated look etched across his face.

"After a while," He said. "They started to bring me to different countries to make my career worldwide. And then a few years ago we made it to Japan. But my bosses got themselves into a little accident and I never saw them again. I continued training to be a doctor like I had once planned, and finally became one a little over a year ago. I was making back the money I was forced to give away. I wanted to go back to you and your mother. But then I learned of the fire and your so called disappearance. I was just lucky enough to see you when you landed yourself in the hospital. I hope you are getting better now."

"I am dad," I say with unshed tears and laughing lightly. "I am and I feel invincible. I'm not in Japan at the moment, I am back in Broxburn with a few friends. I should be coming back to Japan soon, I'd like to talk to you again and not over the phone. In person, if you don't mind. I don't know when I will be back though. I'll speak to you again. Bye dad."

He gave a quick goodbye before I hung up and continued to stare out over the village. It was so quiet and peaceful. Nothing like SPR's location back in Japan. It was rather loud; the location _and _its people. But I liked it though. Those two cases I took with them, even though they were fairly simple to solve, were the best cases I had ever taken. It's a funny thing what people can do to you. I never want to be alone, in fact that it was of my fears. But I would rather be in my own company. It doesn't exactly make sense, but when you think about it nothing else seems more true.

I stood up and began walking, soon finding myself in front of Mary Blake's grave. I don't know why I was there, after all that yelling I did when I was eight years old. And I said that I wouldn't come back; looks like not everyone keeps their word sometimes. I stared at the gravestone, wondering whether I should say anything. I knew she was there, Mrs Blake, she always will be. But speaking to her in the most awkward of times didn't sit right with me. We weren't on best terms and I hadn't spoken to her in nine whole years. I can't imagine what I would say. Maybe something like: _"hey mum! Anything good happen lately... hmm, no?! Well that's to be expected. Nothing changes on your side of the world anyway!" _

I don't know exactly what I would say to her though. Anything I think of just doesn't sit well. Sighing, I sit down and feel around for any souls. I frowned, there were three including myself. And one was my mother, the other seemed oh so familiar. I tried pressing on that soul but they blocked me out. Maybe I should add the word 'again' to that sentence. Naru was always good with blocking me out. So as he stood several steps away from me, my thoughts wandered to him. I smiled slightly, I really would- "So you're finally happy now are you? That took a great number of years. What happened?" A very familiar voice echoed. I scowled at the gravestone. What was her damn problem?! Does she hate everyone who is happy?

"I'm sorry Mrs Blake but I don't believe that I asked for your opinion of me. Do you mind being quiet? I feel a headache coming on and you are not making me feel any better." I said feeling Naru suddenly standing behind me. I swallowed. Great, two people to deal with now. The dead should never be able to converse with the living. If needs be, then I suggest that the living stick to communicating with the dead. That way, there will be a lot less trouble for us parapsychologists to sort out.

"Sorry dear," She said with fake cheerfulness. "It's just that the last time you were here you were so down in the dumps. You were in tears saying random things that I couldn't understand. Anyway, you are the one that came to me. It wasn't the other way around. I would never purposely go to you. You are the reason that David left me. If it weren't for you then I would be living happily with David in my arms. It's all your fault that he is gone."

I gritted my teeth. Why was she always so difficult?! "How come you always bring that up?" I say raising my voice. "If it is not the fact that I am so moody all the time it's the fact that you think it was my fault that David left. For the last f*cking time, shut the hell up! The last time that we spoke my own mum told me that she didn't want to see my face. And for your information, it was not my fault that he left. I spoke to David before and he told me the truth about why he wasn't there for us. And I believe him. So stop trying to blame me when it was no one's fault."

"If it was no one's fault then why wasn't he there then? Hmm, I'm waiting. What is the truth Astrid? What is it?" She said with a tone of mockery. I clenched my fists in my lap but relaxed when Naru rested his hand on my shoulder and knelt down beside me. I took a deep breath before retelling what I had already been told earlier today. She was silent for a few moments before I heard a soft "oh". I growled. That was all the damn woman had to say?! After how she has treated me? After how she neglected me? How she thought of me as just another mouth to feed instead of her own flesh and blood? After she told me that she never wanted to see my face again? All she could say was "oh"?!

I leaned on Naru and closed my eyes, trying to level out my breathing. Why are the people in my life so difficult to deal with? If it wasn't the Abernathy's, it was my mum. If it wasn't my mum, it was my dad. If it wasn't my dad, it was Lin. If it wasn't Lin, then it was Naru. If it wasn't Naru, it was the whole of SPR. If it wasn't SPR then it was everyone that I cam into contact with. I sighed and opened my eyes, "Goodbye Mrs Blake." I said in a bored tone. "I guess I will see you in another eight years then. Have fun sitting there for the time being and don't forget to make friends. You will be stuck here for a long time if you don't move on."

I grabbed Naru by the arm and pulled him to his feet. We started to walk away, when I heard her call my name. I stopped abruptly and turned back to face the gravestone. "I'm sorry Astrid." She said. I tsked before walking away again. I don't need her apologies. "It's too late for that Mrs Blake," I said before Naru and I walked back back into the village. We were quiet most of the way until Naru's phone rang. He looked at it curiously before opening it and answering. He quickly held the phone away from his ear and sighed lightly. Ah, it must be his mother.

I watched his facial reactions when his mother was screeching at him down the phone. I think I heard some things like _"Why don't you call your lovely mother any more?!" _and _"How is the business coming along?" _and _"You had better come home right this minute so that I can get you eating again. You sound off." _Naru's mother seemed so charming and I inwardly smirked at how Naru was responding. He had his eyes closed and he was pinching the bridge of his nose.

Chuckling, I continued to watch him in his failed attempt to silence his mother. I started to pity him, but then again, I could have a lot of fun. Smirking, I wandered a little farther away from him. I cleared my throat projecting my voice a little louder than normal, "Naru if we want to get that dinner reservation at that posh restaurant then we will have to hurry. Time is money, you know what I'm saying?"

I moved quickly back over to Naru and put my ear by the phone. I heard a clash, an _"oh my lord!"_ and a _"Martin! Noll's got a date!" _I laughed like I had never laughed before. There were tears leisurely rolling my cheeks as I put a hand over my mouth to suppress the laughter. It didn't work though and so there I was hunched over the floor furiously wiping away my stray tears. I noticed Naru from the corner of my eye. He was wearing a soft scowl but he had an amused glint in his eyes. It made me laugh even harder.

When I had finally stopped, Naru was done with his phone call and he was standing over me with one elegant eyebrow raised. I stood up and slowly patted him on the shoulder. "I take it you have never had a date then?" I said trying to stop myself from bursting out laughing again. "Because that was quite a reaction! What did Mrs Davis say?"

He frowned, "She wants us to see her in London. All three of us; Lin, you and I. So if we want to catch that plane then we had best hurry. Time is money, you know what I'm saying?" I burst out laughing at that quote from the one and only (me). I never knew the guys had a sense of humour and he always seemed to pick the right times to say those funny things. "Don't worry Naru-chan," I said with a smile. "I'll take you on that date... Come on! We'd best go and get Lin so that we can leave already. I want to see London!"

I ran ahead to the Abernathy residence, I didn't want Naru to see my burning face. So I left him to walk back a few paces behind me. I didn't run as fast as I could, I didn't want the poor guy to get lost. That way I wouldn't get to go on that dat- I mean that way I wouldn't get to go to London. Yeah... that's what I meant. _Totally! _

Opening the door, I rushed in to see Lin sat on the couch drinking some tea. He had his laptop resting on his knees and a small smirk on his face. He was video calling someone. A certain female with pink hair that had this bubbly attitude. I don't know who she is but she is obviously into Lin. Anyone that had a thing for Lin was worth keeping - it didn't happen very often. I walked beside Lin just as Naru came through the door. He saw who was on the screen and walked over.

"Ah Noll! I heard that you had a little date." The woman said cocking one eyebrow in my direction. "Is this her?"

Naru sighed and gave her a glare. "Madoka, where did you hear that?"

"Luella called a few seconds ago saying that her little Olly had a dinner date with a real live girl!" Madoka said smirking and crossing her arms. She faced me, "So what is your name? I can't wait to meet Noll's date in person!"

I laughed a little, "I'm Astrid Blake."

She stopped her squealing only for her mouth to open in shock and surprise. She pointed an accusing finger at me and started stuttering uncontrollably. "Y-you're... A-Astrid Bl-Blake? I-I thought t-t-that y-you..." She swallowed. "W-were de-dead!"

"Sorry Madoka. But if we want to catch that plane back to London then we will have to leave today." Naru said reaching for the laptop. And with that he shut the laptop over so that there was no more Madoka. He sighed slightly before giving us a curt nod. We would be leaving tonight.


	14. Chapter 14

AN: I sincerely apologise for the long _long _wait. I have been super busy with school work, exams and all that jazz, you know?! So anyway, thanks for your patience (I'm so grateful. Atleast some of you have not given up on the story.) Don't forget to review, I would really love it if you told me what you thought. Is my third person narrative okay? I seem to struggle writing that and refer back to the first person without realising... _my bad!_ -_- And just in case you have forgotten _nigh _in Scottish means 'no'

**Disclaimer:** I will never ever own the likes of Ghost Hunt

* * *

**Chapter fourteen**

_**"Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once." - Unknown.  
**_

* * *

Astrid, Lin and Naru stood outside of the Davis residence, shivering to their heart's content. The rain had started to pour heavily when the three had first stepped foot in London, much to their look and dismay. They liked the rain, the three of them, but would rather sit and listen than stand and get wet. The rain was a pretty thing, so beautiful and enthralling. It makes you calm and collected just listening to the light _pitter patter _of the droplets as they rapidly fell one after another to the soaked ground. It gave a sense of peace, just what the three of them needed. Right after their amusing goodbye from the Abernathy family of two and the long plane ride over there.

They remembered it ever so clearly, and it even brought a small smile to their faces. They remembered Will's playful banter and his pleading apologies. They remembered Mrs Abernathy's thousands upon thousands of hugs and _"it'll be okay"_s. It was a rather funny thing to witness. Especially from a pair of people such as themselves. To all their neighbours, they would never act like that. But they had changed. They were a changed family. And they owe it all to little Tom and the other people that helped Astrid and the Mrs get along. It was a nice fair well. But now. They were stuck in London waiting for Mrs Davis to open the damned door. In the pouring rain.

Suddenly the door was swung open, they were pulled inside, coats thrown off and twirled into the kitchen where the kettle was immediately turned on and they were ushered to sit down. Astrid let out a pathetic yelp as she was forced in between Naru and Lin, _squeezed _more like. Their shoulders were touching and they could practically feel each others breaths reflecting the table and hitting them back in the face. It was uncomfortable, yet... _comforting? _Astrid didn't know how to describe the situation. But it felt nice, that much she actually knew.

"How was the trip? It didn't take too long did it?" Mrs Davis said resting three cups full of earl grey tea in front of the eager faces - Naru's and Lin's faces excluded. The sweet heavenly smell filled their nostrils as they all chugged down the scolding liquid. Mrs Davis tutted at their silent (okay, maybe there was a few _slurps _here and there) mannerisms. But she smiled a playful smile anyway.

"We arrived in Scotland this morning, _mother._" Naru suddenly said not-so-loudly placing his cup on the table. "Of course it wasn't a long flight. Additionally, Scotland isn't all that too far from London. You of all people should know that seeing as you take business trips there on some days. Or are you getting a little forgetful in your old age?" A playful smirk curved his lips as Astrid had to strain from blushing at the sight. She's only seen it once.

"Noll!" Luella scolded sitting opposite the three of them. "And it wasn't business trips I was going on. Although you may give it that name. It was business... But not exactly. You know of Astrid Blake, right you three?"

Lin, Naru and Astrid shared a confused glance and then they remembered when Luella first introduced herself to Astrid, and her back. "Hello! My name is A-" She began taking a hold of Luella's hand and shaking it. "Minami Kotomi." Naru had intervened. "She is working with us in the branch of SPR in Japan."

Astrid had frowned when he intervened, what was he up to exactly? Why bother hiding her name from his own mother? Surely she wouldn't go and spread it across the media. But now, Astrid guessed she was about to find out. The three of them nodded and let Luella Davis continue her speech. "Ah," She said. "We have been searching the whole of Scotland for her body. There have been reports of people seeing her all over different parts of the world. No one can be sure whether they are real or not, so that is where me and my team came in. First we searched Scotland, looking to see if we could find it and burn the body before she became earthbound. We don't need her to be going around cursing people now, do we?"

They all shook their heads, not trusting their voices. Astrid couldn't help but be a little hurt by this comment. Sure, she had a bad life. But why would she go around cursing people!? That was just an odd thing for someone like Astrid Blake to do. If she wanted revenge, she would haunt them until the day they die while she can finally rest in peace. That sounds like a plan! Now to find someone to plan some revenge on...

"Maybe you should try the town where she grew up. You never know, she might have been there recently." Naru said with a cough to hide his chuckle. His mother could be so gullible and will think outside of the box and not in. It would painstakingly obvious if she returned to Scotland, she would go to somewhere she will be familiar with. For example: Broxburn East Lothian, the place where she grew up.

"That's an idea! Thanks Noll," Luella said smiling widely at her son. She was ashamed to say that she didn't think of Broxburn. "Then I guess I will be going to Broxburn next weekend and searching there. I'm going to go and book the tickets. Don't burn the house, I'll be back in a minute."

Astrid visibly flinched but turned her head downwards to hide it. The flash of her seventh birthday entered her already clouded thoughts. She didn't need a reminder. She didn't want to ever think of it again. But every time she heard any word to do with fire, the memories came flooding back. It was haunting. But she reckoned she would get over it soon enough.

Naru inwardly sighed, and silently cursed his mother for mentioning the word 'burn' but soon got over it when Astrid turned to her normal self. When his mother left the room, she looked at him intensely and raised one eyebrow. He thought back the pink that would stain his cheeks and asked what she wanted. "Why did you give your mother my Japanese name?" She said, confusion flashing across her face. "Was it really necessary?"

"I believe so. She has been looking for your decaying body for a few years now in hopes of being the one to find it in its rotting state." He said slowly watching her from the corner of his eye as he pretended to stare straight on. "Imagine finding the body sat at your table drinking the tea you made for it and then realising that the body was alive and was never dead in the first place. Imagine walking back into your kitchen only to see this body gulping down yet another cup of tea. Imagine the horror you be feeling, the insecurity of being in the same room with said body. Imagine..."

"Okay okay, that is enough out of you," She said so suddenly trying to hide her laugh lines behind a dangerous scowl. "I understand it a bit better. So should I keep being called Kotomi while I am here? Or should we actually tell the only woman you care about the real name of the person you brought into her house. Quite frankly, I think she has the right to know. Despite the fact that it is rude, she is taking lead in looking fo_r _my _decaying _body. She will be wasting half her life looking for me when I have actually stepped foot in her own home and spoken to her already."

"Hm, I see your point there," Naru said itching his eyebrow. "It is a bit rude I suppose. Madoka is bound to show up sooner or later demanding to see you and get to know you so mother will most likely overhear. We could force Madoka to keep it a secret and call you Kotomi. Then we save a day trying to stay away from the media when some nobody learns of this news."

-;-

Luella picked up the phone in the second living room. She was about to dial the number for the nearest flight company when someone rang her. She picked up and Madoka's booming voice sounded loudly. "Luella!" She had exclaimed loudly. "I am on my way over to see Noll's new friend! I saw her over video chat and she seems really nice. So pretty, so calm and collected. No wonder she is Noll's friend. He won't be mates with just anyone. In fact, does he even have mates? He doesn't does he? Huh, well that is only to be expected really. Nolly no mates! Hah, that's a good one!"

"Madoka dear, chill out!" Luella said smiling widely at her friend's silly antics. Madoka never failed to amuse those people around her. It was like a gift everyone but herself was aware of. She didn't know that she was like that at all, she thought of herself as rather normal for a twenty four year old who is in charge of a group of paranormal investigators.

"But I just can't," She whined down the phone. "This person must be a special case if Noll has even bothered to speak to her. She is a girl after all. And _Noll _talking to a _girl _is just a one in one million chance of happening. We need to treasure this girl until they fight and leave each others sides. Wait no, we can't let that happen. She is just too important right now. We will have to call the family over for dinner to celebrate Noll's returning home and secret new friend. But we have to hide her from the media, we don't want her to catch attention. That might just scare her off-"

"Madoka, you are rambling again. And fine, I will make a big dinner and we will just have Martin, Lin, you, me, Noll and his new friend. We don't want to overcorwd her. That might scare the poor girl away even more. We don't want that either. She is also working with him and Lin in Japan's branch of SPR. Isn't that great?! They get to be close to each other more or less all of the time!"

"Yeah okay Luella, just calm down alright?" Madoka mocked laughing lightly, smirking at the phone. She loved to tease people, Luella was on the top of her list. "So what is going on at your end of the line? Martin home yet? Noll? Lin? Noll's friend? I can't wait to see them all in person."

"Martin should be back home soon and the others have already arrived. Oh, Madoka guess what?! I have a new lead on where Astrid Blake's body might be. We forget to search Broxburn in East Lothian where she grew up. How could we have even missed that town at all?! Noll said she might go there or might have visited there recently. What do you think? Up to a trip to Scotland next weekend?"

Madoka sat in the taxi, confused, as she rode to the Davis residence. What did Luella mean by she got a lead on where she should be? Isn't she already in Luella's home? Sitting probably drinking her third cup of tea? "What do you mean Luella? I thought that she was in London-"

"London?!" Luella exclaimed loudly. "Okay okay. Thanks Madoka. See you when you get here. Bye bye!"

Madoka heard the click of a phone and then she realised that Luella had hung up on her. Gees, she loved the woman to bits but she is so overexcited sometimes and always jumps to a conclusion without reading the notes. She was such a bubbly woman. Madoka didn't know how Martin put up with her. If she were her husband, they probably would have been divorced long ago or there would be an irritating tension between them.

-;-

Martin walked into his house just after he saw Madoka pull up in a taxi with an excited yet confused look on her face. She had stopped to wait for Martin so that they could see the others together. They walked through the entrance hall and spoke quietly. "What's up with your face today?" Martin asked as they went into his study. "You don't seem yourself. What happened?"

Madoka sighed, flopping into one of the many chairs in the study. "Well you see," She started after a deep breath. "Noll and Lin are home and they have brought a friend with them. They are currently sat in the kitchen with Luella drinking tea no doubt. Anyway, earlier today Lin was video chatting with me when Noll and his friend walked in the room. The girl introduced herself and I bet you won't guess who it is..."

"Who is it Madoka? Come on just spill it already, we haven't got all day. It will be tea time soon and Luella is apparently making a big dinner for us all," Martin said with a huff and examining his recent case notes. He had just been asked to do another case. "I need to study these as well. Make it quick."

"Astrid Blake," She said quietly bit Martin had heard. He raised an eyebrow, "You mean to say that Astrid Blake is sat in my kitchen drinking my tea?"

Madoka nodded but then the confused look came back on her face. "Luella said that she has a lead on where her body is. Scotland, in the town that she grew up in. Apparently Noll had told her that she might visit or might already be there. But Luella had no idea that she is sitting in the kitchen. Which means that she was introduced under a different name. And I am guessing that either Noll or Lin had said the alias because when I spoke to her this morning she introduced herself as Astrid Blake. They are protecting her. But from Luella? The woman that has been looking for the girl's body for a few years."

"That certainly is odd. Noll protecting someone he only met recently and from his own mother as well." Martin mused, resting his head in his hands. "I think I will have to see for myself. There's an idea, let's watch Noll's behaviour and see if there are any changes. Consult with Lin, ask him if there has been any changes in his behaviour. However, do not tell him that we are watching Noll. He might tell him and then he will forcefully where a facade."

"Okay, got it boss!" Madoka exclaimed happily. She stood up and opened the door, Martin followed suit and the two of them went back into the kitchen to greet the others... _and _to see if there is any change in Noll's behaviour. But they didn't need to know that. Not at all.

-;-

Naru and Lin were stood talking quietly about the upcoming week they were going to spend here, while Luella and Astrid were sat at the table with their fifth round of earl grey tea. They were just talking about random things. And Astrid tried to answer them as honest as she could without giving Luella any hints about who she was. Lin and Naru had decided it was best not to tell her until they were back in Japan and away from the English media.

The oldest of the three sighed. To be perfectly honest, he wasn't even sure why he was there with the other two. He felt like he was intruding on personal grounds and quite frankly, he felt uncomfortable. You see, the two teens sat with him had this weird thing going on and they had yet to realize it - much to their family's dismay, a certain someone was after grandchildren and she feared that she would never receive them.

The youngest male of the group, felt right at home. Seeing as this was his actual home. But there was something different about it. _She _was here, and so the young male felt even more so relaxed around his rather loud mother and father. His mother, the nice bubbly woman, was currently talking to the female of the trio and it made him feel... _happy? _He didn't know what this feeling was but he let a small smile grace his lips as he watched the two talk. It was a pretty scene. For the young male and female that is. Both for different reasons. The male's, well you have probably guessed that already. And the female's, well she was feeling true happiness at that very moment. Something she had never really felt before. She finally felt like she was wanted.

"Did you have a nice trip, dear?" The older woman asked the younger.

She smiled happily, "Oh yes Mrs Davis. I loved it! Thanks for taking me in for the week, I really appreciate the hospitality. I hope I won't be a hindrance."

"Nonsense, dear! And call me mum. Or mother. I'd like that a lot." Mrs Davis said while taking a sip of her tea. She gave the younger female a warm smile.

"How about _Ma? _You see, I already have people by the name of mum and mother. I want this to be different, so _Ma _it is then." She said.

"_Ma _it is then, Kotomi. Welcome to my home!" Mrs Davis said just as her husband walked into the room with Madoka to his left. The two exchanged a look at the name _Kotomi _and joined Lin and Naru her were watching the conversation intensely to make sure that Astrid didn't give any hints about who she was. Well Lin was and he sighed in relief seeing that there conversation drifted off to the sights in London they could go and see. Naru, however, was in hi own little world.

He had a small smile that graced his lips, making him look happy as his eyes were glued to the young girl sat with his mother. And the best part of it was, he didn't notice that he was ding it, whereas Lin, Madoka and Martin did. They exchanged a quick look and smiled to themselves. Noll could be so dense sometimes. If love walked up to him and said that it loved him, he would do a double take and call it crazy. They needed to knock some sense into him.

"Oh Martin, Madoka, you guys are here. That's good. Now I can start dinner. Won't be too long," Luella said moving over to the fridge freezer and taking some food out. Everyone watched her for a moment before joining Astrid at the table. Madoka and Martin sat next to each other, Madoka elbows him gently and whispers something to him. They nod and he they speaks.

"If Luella insists that you call her _Ma _then I must insist that you call me dad," Martin said while watching Naru from the corner of his eye. The young boy almost coughed as he took a sip of tea. His cheeks were burning slightly as Lin patted him hard on the back. Martin smiled, "It will be nice, don't you think. Luella has always wanted to have a daughter whether that be in-law or not. She also wants some grandchildren too, so that she can spoil them rotten."

Naru coughed some more, his face a nice shade of red. He spluttered out some of his tea and stood up and said that he was going to help his mother. Everyone sniggered while Astrid sat there confused at everyone's actions. She didn't understand why it was so funny. She laughed at him spluttering about, but everyone else was laughing for a different reason. She just didn't know that.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: I thank you all for the attention my story has received. I really enjoy reading your responses and I would love to read more. So please don't forget to review :) Oh and happy father's day for the other day, sorry, I know that is late. Enjoy the chapter. I have one last thing to say: I am aiming for more than fifty five reviews by the end of this week and at least three more chapters written and published too. I would like it if you helped me out with the review part. Thanks.

**Disclaimer: **I will never ever own the likes of Ghost Hunt

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**Chapter fifteen**

_**"Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead." - Benjamin Franklin**_

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Everyone sat around the table to eat dinner, Madoka had carefully drawn out a seating plan where Naru was next to Astrid. Luella and Martin were sat either end of the table with Madoka to Martin's right so that the two of them could converse quietly about the two teens in the room. Lin was sat helplessly next to Madoka and was forced into conversation with Luella about new clothes she wanted to buy. And Naru and Astrid sat eating quietly, catching glimpses of one another when they thought that no one was looking when in fact, Madoka and Martin were watching them like a hawk.

"Oh!" Martin suddenly exclaimed loudly putting his glass on the table. He flashed an apologetic look when everyone flinched. "Sorry about that. Anyway, I was asked to come on a new case. And I was wondering whether Noll, Lin, Madoka and A-Kotomi wanted to come along instead of my head team in the Society of Paranormal Researchers. It's quite an interesting case, I think you will like it."

"What's it about then?" Lin finally says. "It's not too dangerous is it? My shiki are still recuperating and so they will be of no help. It will be good to know the level of danger we will see on this case if we chose to come along. I don't want Noll or Astrid, Madoka or even you, Martin, to be hurt."

"It depends on what you mean by _dangerous_, Lin." Martin said smiling lightly. "I am not in touch with every single detail and the client isn't sharing everything either, so that will be a bit troubling. Well you see, the people in the house claim that there is another version of themselves that are walking around their house. The father said he saw two of his son when he was tucking him in one night. And the son said that he heard his mother call him once, so he went to see to her. And then that was when his mother pulled him to one side and said that she heard it to."

"Would that be a doppelganger?" Astrid asks suddenly. She rubs her chin in thought and played with her food. "I dealt with a doppelganger once. It was a classic doppelganger sighting. Someone had walked out of the room completely ignoring everyone that tried to speak to them, when in fact they had been sat down on the couch for the past three hours unmoving. That was a classic sighting, but they aren't dangerous. It's when the doppelganger communicates with the humans, you have to worry."

Naru nodded in agree, turning to face her. "Yes, that could certainly be a possibility. I've heard a little about doppelgangers and when they come in to contact with humans and the human notices something is off, bad things could happen. There once this little boy who said he was in the garage, fixing his bike. The garage door was closed but it had a window in it. He saw his dad approach it and smile. He hand signaled for the kid to open the door. The kid didn't want to; he felt something was wrong. After refusing, the dad outside's fingers turned into claws, his eyes turned black and teeth sharp. He clawed at the window. Later on the kid asked his real dad if he was by the garage. His father seemed confused and said no."

Madoka and Martin shared a look, one which said something was up. Maybe it was even more dangerous than they had thought. That is, if it is even a doppelganger. "Doppelganger..." Lin mused out loud. "Is a double of a living person and sometimes portrayed as a harbinger of bad luck. In some traditions, a doppelganger seen by a person's relative or friend portends illness or danger while seeing one's own doppelganger is said to be an omen of death."

"That is defiantly an option," Martin says staring blankly at his plate. "If it really is one then we will have to be careful. To see one's own doppelganger would ultimately mean death, as Lin had explained. I don't want to see any one of you dead. But it could also be something else. Like a shape shifter, perhaps. So when we arrive we will have to be even more careful. Any questions?"

"When are we getting there? I have to go to the shops soon to get something," Naru says surprising everyone. They raise there eyebrows in question and Luella smiles when her son's face goes a little red. "What are you getting at the shop Noll?" She asks smiling widely. "It's obviously not tea bags because I made sure to stock up before you came back. And it's not books because you know you are welcome to the big library around the corner from Cambridge and Martin will let you borrow some of his."

"Does it really matter, mother?" He says through gritted teeth. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "Just tell me when we will leave and when will be coming back. I have things to do, places to be all before a certain date. I would like to be informed so that I do what I wanted to do."

"We will leave tomorrow morning, how about that? The case shouldn't take _that _long. Maybe three days tops." Martin says smiling a little. His son was becoming even more amusing ever since he came back from Japan. If he didn't know better, he would say that Naru was the doppelganger at the moment. He held back that thought, "Noll. Will that be okay? Seriously, the case shouldn't take that long to do."

Naru nodded, finally opening his eyes. "Yes. That will be fine. Now can we forget about this and resume talking about the case. I would also like to be informed about that as well, if you don't mind. It will be nice to be prepared for the case at hand. Now, tell us some more already."

"Japan has changed you!" Madoka mutters sourly earning a dry laugh from the rest of the table.

-;-

I began tucking him into bed and he tells me. "Daddy, check for monsters under my bed." I look underneath for his amusement and see him, another him, under the bed, staring back at me and whispering. "Daddy, there's somebody on my bed."

-;-

"So you mean to say that the kid was _under _the bed when the kid was also _on top of _the bed? There were two of them?" Madoka asks wryly. She was freaked out to say the least. Martin just had to say it in a deep dark voice when he was reading out the father's witness account, didn't he?! Luella shivered at the other end of the table. She was suddenly glad that she wasn't going with them. But her concern and worry had grown immensely within those few seconds.

"That's what the father had said. I don't think that he would lie just to call us out to his house. He seemed generally terrified when he was telling me what he had seen," Martin replied with a slight shake of his head. "He said he didn't know which boy to believe. They were so identical, sounded the same and they were basically the exact same apart from there were two. He said he can't look at his son without doubting that it is really him."

"And what of the real son? What was his encounter with the other mother?" Lin asked curiously. This case was turning out more interesting than he thought. Very interesting. But there was one thing he was stumped on. If anyone did actually get hurt, there was no one trained in the medical art. What if someone was to have a dance with death? What if they actually died and he couldn't do anything to prevent that? He would blame himself if something did happen.

"The boy heard his mother yell his name from downstairs. So he got up and started to head down. As he got to the stairs, his mother pulled her into her room and said 'I heard that to'." Martin said slowly, letting the information sink in. Everyone turned to him with mouths open and eyes wide. This case was defiantly something. It might be dangerous. Especially if the doppelgangers are talking to the family.

"You're seriously making them do that?!" Luella shrieked loudly. Her worry and concern had grown even more. She didn't want her Noll or Kotomi to get hurt the most. They were her only chance to get some grandchildren! They couldn't die! She needed them alive to create a new family, and to keep her love for her son and his friend going for many many years.

"Luella, it's their choice whether they want to or not. And they have already agreed to it. If they change their minds, then they can stay at home." Martin says with a tired sigh. "Anyway kids, it is already after ten. I suggest you go settle down upstairs and be ready early in the morning about five so that we can go. Noll, if I hear from A-Kotomi that you haven't slept a wink of sleep then I will ban you from work for two weeks. Do you hear?"

"Yes father," He said through gritted teeth as he pulled Astrid to her feet and dragged her out of the room. She wouldn't say anything to Martin, he knew that, but what made him feel weird is what his dad had said. He would ask Astrid, so he assumed that they would be sleeping in the same room. Wait- Naru stopped and turned around to face his family.

"What did you mean that you would ask Kotomi whether I had slept at all?" Naru says slowly. He watches as his mother smirks, Madoka covers her mouth to stop her laughter and Martin has a hint of a smile on his face while Lin is just ignoring him. Martin sighs, "Noll. You know that we only have two bedrooms in use and one of them is mine and your mother's. The other is yours. Now, if you would like your friend to sleep on the couch in the living room next to an excited Madoka who can easily plant ideas in her head, then I suggest you make space for her in your room."

Naru took Astrid by the elbow and pulled her out of the room, hiding his burning face. It annoyed him how close to her made his face turn a horrendous shade of rouge. He wasn't ashamed, no, but merely embarrassed. It was a new thing to him. And a new thing to everyone else. It was odd for them to see their Noll like this, so teasing him was a way of growing accustomed to it. However odd that may be.

Astrid and Naru finally made it to Naru's room, without any further interruptions. Astrid was leaning against the bed, upside down, with her legs in the air. And Naru, well, Naru was trying to ignore this and read his book. Her presence was messing with his head and he didn't know why. His chest felt heavy and he found himself wanting to smile all of a sudden. He was quite confused. "Oi Naru?" Astrid called.

He turned his head to look at her and wished he hadn't. All the blood had rushed to her head and so her cheeks were a pretty shade of pink that complemented her eyes. She was in that awkward position where her figure was seen more clearly than normal behind the baggy yet comforting clothes. And her hair was sprawled around her face, making it stand out. He couldn't look away. It was too hard. "Yes?" He managed not to stutter.

She smiled faintly, "Should we practice with our PK some more? It could help us a lot tomorrow on the new case and we certainly still need more practice with working together. Sure, we managed it last time well enough. But who is to say that it will work the next time? It could fail and we would be seriously injured. You especially. I don't really want to see that happen."

Naru felt his chest grow even more so heavier as she spoke her last sentence. Yes, she had basically said that he was an easy target for the spirit or doppelganger, as they had justified. But what he heard was that _she_ didn't want_ him_ to get hurt, that _she_ wouldn't like it at all. He felt a blush creeping up on his cheeks as he shook his head slightly in annoyance with himself. He cleared his throat and stood, "We should try somewhere empty so that we can do it without an audience. Mother and father will surely stop us if they knew what we were doing."

"I already thought of that, Naru. Ma and dad are rather worried about you, you know. It's clear as day. But no worries, I'm sure they won't find out until we use it in front of them. Oh, which also remind me. We should come up with some things, like rules perhaps, so that we do not lose sight of each other. If we do then one of us could end up as the next victim. We should also think up a few personal questions to ask person if we think something is up. You know, say like I get copied. You ask me a personal question or two to confirm whether it is me or not. Sound fair?"

He nodded as the two of them walked down the landing and down the stairs. "'Yeah, that sounds like a plan. What personal questions should we ask? I don't want to invade on your privacy and some things aren't meant to be told. Secrecy can sometimes save lives too. Maybe we should do a code instead. Like a sentence or a word, if you'd prefer."

"Either will do," She said as they stepped into the garden. "It doesn't make a difference to me. You know a lot about me already, a little more won't hurt anyone. But as for you, I don't know that much. Which could be a problem. I'm not aware whether a doppelganger, or even a shape shifter, can copy a person's mind as well. If that is the case then we are all in big trouble."

Naru stopped. He furrowed a brow and itched his chin in thought. "But what if they can copy a person completely? Memories, speaking patterns, darkest secrets, hobbies, favourite things... If that was the case, we would be at a loss. Everyone would turn on each other to try and keep their lives and it would turn into a bloodbath. This could be dangerous. We had best start practicing then."

Astrid stopped too, standing to his left, gazing at him in thought. She knew that he was right. They would be in deep deep trouble if the spirit could copy a person completely, and they would have no way to protect themselves. It would be dangerous. They could avoid it all by sending the family away to a new place and preventing another family from moving into that house. But, the spirit could follow them and be of more danger. Astrid sighed, "Let's just practice for now. We can figure out all this stuff later on."

"I guess your right," He mumbled loud enough for her to hear. They moved further into the garden. "If we go about worrying our heads like this, then we will be partially insane before we get there. I don't want father to be in one of his moods or mother to be paranoid thinking her family won't come back. I know that we will. That's a definite. But what happens there will remain there forver a scar on that house. Anything, really, could happen to any of us."

"You're the one worrying your head!" Astrid laughed as she threw an energy ball at his feet, startling him. She grinned and created a distance between the two so that he could not get her back as easily. He laughed a laugh he hadn't done in a long time. And honestly, it felt great. He loved the feeling. Being able to laugh freely with someone you don't hate; or rather someone that you care for. It was a change; a nice change nonetheless.

Naru drew in energy from the earth, sculpting it into a ball. "You know," He started after a low chuckle. "We should do this more often. Learn more things, become even more powerful. And that way, the two of us could become proper partners in PK using. Once we have mastered it, we wouldn't have to worry about hospital bills."

Naru gulped, he liked the way it sent shivers down his spine when he uttered the word _partners. _It gave him a special strange feeling that he hadn't experienced before. He then proceeded to throw the energy ball over to Astrid who caught it with ease. She gave a curt nod. "Yeah, there's a thought." She shouted back, expanding the ball of energy. "We could try and form the energy into different objects instead of just a ball. For example, we could try a gun. That would be pretty cool. A gun made from PK that shot PK bullets. Awesome..."

Astrid stopped, thinking about guns. She pictured one in her mind and started to play with the energy ball. She squeezed it and she squashed it. She rolled it and she mold it. And then it really looked like a gun. It looked quite identical really. The detail was amazing; well thought out. It was rather heavy, just like the real thing. It was similar in size however, there was only one difference. It was an electric blue colour mixed with gold swirls. Naru's and Astrid's PK mixed together. But it looked amazing, beautiful even, especially for a gun made from energy.

She tossed it over to Naru, who made a quick grab for it. The gun dropped to the floor, right by his feet, and let out a shot. The bullet flew through the air rapidly and got lodged in a tree. They stared at it before willing it to disappear. It vanished within an instance and then silence enveloped them. They stayed quiet in hopes of no one hearing them. Not one sound was made so they continued. Naru picked up the gun slowly and took it in his right hand.

He searched the trees and his eyes finally fell upon a small apple a few feet away. He aimed the gun at him and with a loud bang, the apple was on the ground. "You did it Naru!" Astrid called rather loudly rather than in a hushed whisper. She smiled at him as he walked over to her. He smiled back a little, his chest becoming heavy again. He secretly liked this feeling. "Let's go back inside now. We can talk later, on the way to the case. Father will be mad as us if we don't get a wink of sleep," He said quoting Martin.

They heard slight movement coming from up the stairs so they moved quickly and practically burst into Naru's room, panting slightly. They collapsed onto chairs, catching their breath. And then the noises stopped. Whoever it was had stopped and returned to their room. The two could only hope that it wasn't Martin trying to find out whether they were asleep or not. That would be troubling.

"I'll take the couch, you take the bed." Astrid said flopping on the couch with a huff. She wrapped herself in blankets and hid her face in the cushions, already yawning. She heard someone walk towards her, and then the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. It was obviously Naru. But he must have been mad for some reason. "You are the guest, you must sleep on the bed."

She huffed again, pressing her face further into the cushion. "I'm sleeping here whether you like it or not. You have to sleep on _your _bed. I don't know what you do on your bed either. It could be midnight activities with other people for all I know." Came her muffled response. Naru felt his face heating up, he ignored it and glared. "You think I have sex on my bed with girls?!" He asked in disbelief.

"No, not at all. I was going to say that Lin finally managed to get you to play a game of chess without all the complaining. You decided that you liked it so much and thought that it would be embarrassing if the rest of your family found out. So yourself and Lin agreed that you would only do it at midnight every night for fun. Hence me saying _midnight activities with other people. _You know Naru, you have a dirty mind."

He swallowed back a nasty comment and moved closer to her, ignoring the frantic noises his heart was making. He snaked one arm around her waist and the other held both her legs. Slowly, he picked her up and dropped her on the bed. She let out a cry of protest that didn't really have an affect on him. "You're sleeping there," He told her quietly as he lay down on the couch, closing his eyes. "No objections Astrid."

Sighing in annoyance, she at long last closed her eyes and began to fall into a deep sleep clouded by unnecessary thoughts of what tomorrow might bring and where her future was heading. It was going to be a long _long _night, she knew that for sure.


	16. Chapter 16

AN: I am so glad that I have a little over a month left of school before summer break. When that day comes, I will be writing lots and lots. So you guys get more chapters and my other two incomplete stories get some attention too. They are in dire need of an update. Anyways, please do not to forget to tell me whether I should change, add or take away anything that doesn't necessarily agree with you in the story. I would like to know to improve my skills. Thanks :)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Ghost Hunt, and I never will.

* * *

**Chapter sixteen**

**Back to Astrid's point of view  
**

* * *

There I was, pretending to be asleep, while it was still early in the morning. It was only three, and I had just woken up from a nightmare. Not a normal nightmare, like usual. This one was so different. No reminders of the past, only what the future may bring. And truthfully it scared me so much. I don't even no why. It wasn't even my future... Or was I apart of it?

I saw him, and her, together as one. They were talking quite intimately and they both had ever growing smiles on their faces. They seemed so happy that it almost hurt me. She touched his shoulder and he grabbed her hand. A small gesture shared between two people that brought me so much pain. My eyes had welled up, I was close to tears. In fact, I think I already was. Lazily, I wiped them away. It just pained me an awful lot. To see him with another. He wasn't even mine to begin with. And I've never really hit it off with her. She was a nice girl, pretty, and I'm sure if she concentrated in school she could be ten times smarter. But seeing her with him, and him with her, made my jealousy burn.

And I'm not one to get jealous easily. It just didn't happen that often, so it didn't worry me when I did. This time though, I wanted to hurt her for hurting me. Even though it was a damned dream. Just a damn dream! And yet, this could happen. It probably would. If he was going to fall for anyone then it would be her, no doubts there. She was, in so many ways, perfect for him. She could sort his attitude out. Make his tea. Bring out the real him. Show him kindness and love. She could make him accomplish so much and he would be grateful for it. He would love her back. Enjoy her tea. And open up for her and the others around him.

I started to cry again. Just laying here pondering about what it may mean, was making me feel so much worse. Curling up in a ball, I tightly closed my eyes. I didn't want to see anything, anyone, her, _him. _I've always felt different around that guy. It only took a bad dream to realise that I could manage without him. But that was so stupid. I had managed so long without anyone to be dependent on. So why now? Why him of all people?

-;-

They were sat in a small garden, on a beautiful set of chairs accompanied by a pretty table. There was a teapot cuddled up with two small tea cups, and a tray of biscuits. They were chatting about their lives. She was wearing a deep blue dress that he couldn't take his eyes away from. And he was wearing a sharp suit that she couldn't help but adore. They were a sickeningly lovely couple that would purposely lean forward and touch a shoulder, or hold a hand or just plainly flirt with one another. It was sickening to watch. And then the topic of relationships rolled in. She said that she was pregnant. Five months gone. He smiled, his eyes welling up. He touched her belly and then he picked her up into a bone crushing hug. They laughed and laughed, cried and cried. It would have been a beautiful sight if it weren't for who they were. Her and him, him and her. And then they shared a passionate kiss. In the middle or a garden. Alone.

-;-

I heard movement coming from behind me and I froze. I really didn't want him to see me like this. Not at all. Embarrassing as it may be, I was still hurting. He had taken a hold of my shoulder now and was squeezing it gently. It was a nice comforting gesture, that I will agree with. But I needed something more. Reassurance more like. But how could I ask him to never give himself to another girl?! It seemed so stupid. A horrible thing to do. I couldn't stop him from falling in love, from leaving my side. It was his decision.

It was his damn decision. If he wanted to leave my sorry ass then he bloody well would. And all for her. Well okay, maybe I am making assumptions right now. But it was one of the likeliest outcomes of why he would stop being there for me. We could always stay friends, I suppose. But that wouldn't be the same. His secret caring nature would be shared between me and _her. _And she would get to see more of it because he would love her. Okay, I need t stop before I give myself a headache.

"Astrid?" He asked softly, sitting on the bed next to me. I felt the bed sink and my eyes snapped open. Why was he so close if he was in love with someone else. Surely you wouldn't want to be near another in fear of betraying the one you are in love with. "What's the matter? Was it a nightmare again? Did you forget to take your tablets?"

Yes, I did forget. But it's not what you think narcissist. I turned over to face him and my eyes widened in shock. Concern was written all over his face and he had moved ever so slightly closer to me. My heart was thumping, racing even. I felt just that little nauseous. I clutched my stomach, making little effort to sit up. I didn't wipe the tears away from my cheeks. They just rolled down them, leaving clear tracks. I just openly gaped at him as he sat next to me, his hand still holding onto my shoulder.

I leaned into him, breathing in the rich scent of tea that we both loved so much. Earl grey. We sat in silence before he made a move to get up. My hand made a quick grab for his shirt. My knuckles went white as I tightened my grip on his top. He looked startled for a second and then he sat back down, staring at my face. I found myself blushing, and I didn't try and hide it. I saw him gulp, oh god! What have I done now?

"Astrid, I-" He started but I shushed him and closed my eyes again. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and brought me closer. I was blushing madly now and I squeezed my eyes shut. Just look at one that can possess you to do crazy things. After that, I realised that I was falling for the guy. The _narcissist _who never cared for a woman. The narcissist that was intrigued by his own good looks rather than a stunning blond that would try and flirt with him. He liked his smarts more than the best female scientist around. He enjoyed his own company, or that of a male rather than just any girl. I was doomed. He would never like me. So why would he stand a chance with _her? _Why would she stand a chance with him?

"Astrid," I heard him mutter. I turned to face him and noticed that he had his eyes closed. His breathing was steady and his chest was rising and falling at a normal pace. He was close to sleep. I took this chance to look at him, like, actually look at him. He had long lashes women would be jealous of. His hair fell messily around his face, highlighting his smooth features. He really was handsome. Why did I have to meet him. If I had never took that case at that school not all that long ago, then I wouldn't be in that position.

But history repeats itself or finds another way to happen. What if we had casually met in Hana-san's tea shop one morning and got talking about stuff. Naturally, we would be drawn in. We shared several interests unlike some people. The ghost hunting for example... And Lin. We both new the man and so that might have been a possibility. Or we might have met when Mrs Abernathy called us over to help Tom pass on. She didn't know that we were acquainted. So when she called, she called twice. One for Oliver Davis. One for me, Astrid Blake. But then after the case was solved, we would go our separate ways.

Or not.

Lin always went with him to places, just like he had traveled to Scotland with him. Then again, we both know Lin. We would get talking and the next thing we know, we are drinking tea in the comfort of Luella and Martin's home in London. So one way or the other, we would meet and I probably would have still fallen for him anyway. It was most likely inevitable.

"Something wrong Naru?" I muttered back after a while. I gazed at his face. His nose twitched and his mouth opened slightly. His breath hitched and I couldn't help but smile. It was an odd sight. Seeing Naru in a flustered state, just like earlier on, was rather amusing. He was normally so calm and collected, rarely showing emotion on his expressionless face. So when he blushes, really smiles, laughs or does something out of the ordinary, you can't help but stare.

He didn't say anything but instead, shifted beneath the covers. He moved closer to me, his face only a mere inch and a half away. He was too close. But it wasn't uncomfortable. It felt nice, actually. I wanted to be bold, you know, do something. Maybe I could move even closer, or tell him how I feel. I could kiss him, touch his face. I could do a lot, really. But instead I brought him closer into a hug and lay in his arms, finally getting some sleep.

* * *

**Back to narrative perspective (...sorry)**

* * *

Astrid and Naru woke up in each others arms. They were looking at each other, hand in hand, face to face. They stared in bewilderment. When had they held hands exactly? Naru felt a low buzz of electricity flowing through his hand, the one that Astrid held. It flowed through his body, giving him a pleasant feeling. He liked it and he could tell his heart did too. Constantly thumping every time she was near... this girl works wonders.

First she got his cold undead heart to start beating again. And second, he was falling in unknown territory. He didn't understand why she had gripped onto his nightshirt, or why she cuddled up to him like there was no tomorrow. He didn't know how to react to those. It was only on impulse did he lay down next to her and wrap one arm around her shoulders. If someone asked him what he would have done without this impulse, he would be at a loss for words. He only wanted to be near to her again. To smell the scent of tea, to feel the electricity flowing around her, to see her pretty face.

His face grew warmer by the minute as she stared into his eyes. He wanted to make a move on her and walk away so that he couldn't see the rejection written all over her face. He wouldn't, no, couldn't see it. He might break. Over the past week of knowing her, he realised that he was starting to fall for her. He was in deep. So deep that his face had started to show his emotions and he couldn't stop them from showing up. He had been smiling more, his blushes were barely visible but it was still there. And he couldn't help but get that loving look in his eyes whenever she was in view.

He was a goner. He would be like this for a while. And then it would blossom into something more. Love maybe. Or just a possessive nature. Whatever it may be, Naru knew that it was going to come. He just knew and he was waiting. It wasn't as easy as that though. It could happen within the day, the next week or even take a year or two. But it was coming; it was practically inevitable. Unless there was something preventing it from going any further. However, he didn't really like that idea. The one where something comes in between, human or not. If he ever fell in love with anyone or cared for anyone, he was glad that it was Astrid and no one else.

"Hey guys, are you up- Oky, I guess I will come back later then." They heard Madoka say as they saw her quickly dash back out of the room in a flustered state. Little did they know, she was running over to the kitchen where Martin was to tell him of what she had saw. The two of them had decided that they would report back to the other when they saw their little Noll acting out of the ordinary. Like sleeping in the _same _bed with a _girl _for example. That was defiantly one for the books in Madoka's opinion.

Finally Naru removed himself from Astrid's embrace and immediately felt cold. All the warmth had gone away and was resting with Astrid. He shivered and then he searched for something warm. Spotting Astrid yawn and rub her arms to warm them up, he grabbed her hand and pulled her up. The hot electrical waves flowed through his body and he felt at peace again. It was such a nice feeling. He wished it could be like this all the time. But unless he wanted to be under watchful eyes (which he, coincidentally, already was) then he had best act more or less the same as before. He didn't want to give anything away. What fun would that be?

Naru didn't let go of her hand as he pulled her out of the room and down the stairs. He had decided that from here on out, he will grab her hand instead of her elbow when he was trying to drag her places. Truthfully, he only wanted an excuse for touching her. He knew perfectly well that she could walk fine by herself, he just felt the need to help her along a bit. Okay, a lot. And so when he was about to drag her off somewhere, he usually chose the elbow since that was easiest. But now, it would be the hand. Her small hands that seemed so right when they held his own.

"You two seem in a cuddly mood," Madoka said as soon as the two teens walked into the kitchen. She had pulled them into an immediate hug when they came into the kitchen, as if to mock them. She stayed that way for a little while, smirking at their frozen states. She let them go, smiling to herself. She laughed. "Have a good sleep?"

Martin chuckled as he opened his case notes and started to review them. A small smile adorning his features as Madoka continued with her friendly banter. "I sure did!" She said happily. "But I bet you had an even better night. Sneaking off into the garden, sneaking back into the house, sleeping next to each other. Oh, it must have been a great night for you two!"

Naru pushed past her and took a seat at the table where Luella had set out some toast. "Be that way!" Madoka muttered, scowling at the young male. She turned her attention back to Astrid. "Enjoying your stay so far? Surely this is a new experience for you after the places you have been before now; in those other countries and the like. The bed has to be the best and... oh, and the warmth of a human! Bet you didn't get that where you went before! Five stars! Right A-Kotomi? Eh?"

Astrid smirked and sat down next to Naru, helping herself to some of his toast. He scowled, but he was smiling slightly. Only the practiced eye would be able to catch such a thing. Take Madoka for example. Here she was, gaping like a fish as the two young teens shared insults and secretly caught glances of one another when they thought no one was looking. She almost smiled, Madoka did, but then something crossed her mind. Either one of them didn't know that the other liked them. There might be something holding them back, or they might actually be that dense. But whatever the case, she decided that she was going to help smooth things along.

Soon enough, everyone in the Davis household was ready and packed for their newest case. They the one car since Luella was going out of town for a while in search of Astrid Blake's body. The car started and then they drove off. Some dozing, some reviewing case notes and others staring at the only female in the car who just so happened to be leaning her head on someone's shoulder. The ride was nice and quiet. But that was soon over when the car stopped and they all looked at the house.

Martin coughed, interrupting everyone's flabbergasted looks. "We're here," He said stating the obvious.


End file.
